Better Off Reaver
by The Queen of Asgard
Summary: She was a girl from our world. He was a pirate lord from theirs. When he tried to trade her mortality in for his, she turned the tables on him and became a legend in her own way...This is the misadventure of Miss Rosie Sharpp: Pirate. Saint. Queen. Reaver/OC/Hero of Brightwall. Reviews are appreciated!
1. Twisted, Strange, Unlucky Life

Ah, welcome one and all for a new helping of a story that is based off of an older story of mine called Fool Me Once, Fool Me Twice. Unfortunately, Willow died in a freak firestorm accident, TOTALLY unrelated to Rosie's bad **luck. This story has been bouncing around in my head for a few days, just sort of dancing on my cerebellum like the New York City Rockettes. **

**Anywhoo, I hope Rosie doesn't seem like a Mary-Sue! If I did, give me a little hoot n' holler so I can change it! (But a nice one, not super nasty like that one chick did in my LAST Fable story -_-) This story is also told from Rosie's POV. Now a few things about Rosie that I think that people should know...Rosie is very self conscious and unlucky. She's been like that since she was little. She hates to think about the evil of the world and believes that somewhere, everyone has a little bit of light in them. She has enemies and a temper, but she rarely uses it. She would rather cry than yell and she's not much of a fighter. Anyway, that's sort of a little backstory on our heroine and so I hope you stick around for the story! **

**This story is actually a filler between Fable 2 and 3. Sort of between the 50 years between the falling of the Tattered Spires until the Rebellion of the Princess. (Yes, she's going to be a PRINCESS in this story!)  
><strong>

**1.) I dub this story an M for later situations. That is called sex, little children. Chapters with sexual shizz will be marked VERY CLEARLY for our more sensitive readers. :) (And all you perverts out there. XD)**

**2.) I do not own Albion, Reaver, or Fable. I give this privilege to Lionshead Studio and Microsoft. HOWEVER, I do own my OC, Rosie and the concept of the story. Please do not steal. I already saw someone used my concept from Fool Me Once, Fool Me Twice. (Not that I really care cause that story is dead and gone.)**

**3.) I love reviews, and I know that Fable isn't a very popular category, so just give me whatever you can give me!**

**Anyway, LET US GET ON WITH THE SHOW!**

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><p><em>I dedicate this story to my three goddesses who got me through Fool Me Once, Fool Me Twice. I hope I can make you as proud with Rosie as I did with Willow.<em>

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><p><span>Chapter One<span>

**My Twisted, Strange, Unlucky Life**

The day that my life took a turn on its head was the day that I found myself being pulled over by the cops in a bikini. A pink and gold plaid bikini with golden flip flops and a pair of knockoff sunglasses. It had been one of the worst days of my life. I had been late to work and then, my boyfriend broke up with me. Then, before I knew it, I was being pulled over and then, finally, after all that, I had fallen into a pool and ended up on a pirate ship with a captain who insisted on taking off my pink and gold plaid bikini.

But, let me start at the beginning of my terrible day…

I THOUGHT it was Saturday and I THOUGHT that it meant I could sleep in. I opened one eye and groaned at the time. It was too early for a Saturday. Then my radio turned onto the alt. rock station it played on in the mornings.

Good morning Portland and what a good Monday morning it is! It may be raining, but that doesn't mean the sun won't shine!

Suddenly, my head snapped up. There was no way he said what I thought he had said…Monday?

"Oh shizz I'm gonna be late!" I moaned and threw back the covers. Then I looked at my clock and realized that I was already late, "Shizz…Kate's gonna kill me!"

I ran around the room like a chicken with its head cut off as I grabbed my dark blue and black club shirt, a pair of athletic pants, and tennis shoes. The cat napping at the end of my bed gave a meow and looked at me with his big yellow eyes.

"Don't look at me like that, Ra," I scowled and pulled my thick brown hair up into a ponytail. Makeup would have to wait until she got to the club. Contacts, on the other hand, were a must. I slid them into my eyes and blinked several times to let them fall into place. Finally, I put my swimsuit into my bag, grabbed my keys and then hurried out the door, allowing Ra to go outside too.

The DJ hadn't been kidding. It was raining and a fog clung to the town like a heavy blanket. I still couldn't believe that after years of living on the West Coast in a constant rain cloud, I had moved to another raincloud. Bristol, a town of roughly 2,500 people, was beautiful but like Oregon, in a rainy spot. I sighed and then ran out to my small Subaru. It was old, a 1999 but it was my baby and still worked like a charm.

By the time I reached the gym, there were already people there with their bags filled to the brim with expensive clothes and gear. I parked over on the side and quickly hurried in through the door. The manager, Kristen, was there with a look of pure loathing on her face. She hated me but couldn't fire me because I was, and I quote "The best damn worker that damn place had ever seen." My boss loved me but nobody could figure out why and as long as I kept my job, I didn't question it.

"You're late, Rosie," She scowled and handed me an armful of sweaty towels, "Get those into the laundry room and then do whatever you need to do."

"You got it," I said, my voice muffled by the armful of towels. I scurried back into the back room and shoved them all into the laundry machine, added the right amount of soap and turned it on, humming a tune as I left the room, almost running into my boyfriend and love of my life, Nate.

Nate was a tall, handsome guy with Hollywood good looking features. He had a ten million dollar smile and a Hollywood attitude to match. He was as much as a player as Jack Nicolson was creepy. He leaned on the washer and gave me a look that would make any weaker girl's knees turn to jelly. I just happened to be wrapped around his little finger for the time being.

"Hey baby girl," He purred and kissed me passionately. I moaned into his mouth and closed my eyes, relishing at the kiss. He suddenly let go and averted his eyes, "Can we talk?"

"Anything you want babe," I said and he let go of my waist, looking really uncomfortable. "What is it? What's going on?"

"Babe…I think we need to take a break, see other people for a little while." He said and I felt my whole world shatter.

"Wait…what?"

"You heard me, Rosie. I just think it's time to…"

My hand was across his face before he even knew what was happening. I felt the tears sting my eyes and I started hyperventilating, trying to speak. "How dare you treat me like that?" I demanded, "I never complained about your stupid love making ONCE and this is how you repay me? I mean, you give it to a girl as if she was a piece of meat! And I'm not even going to start on how small your…"

"Rosie, will you shut up?" He demanded and rubbed the side of his face. "Now, listen here. I've been seeing Kristen for two weeks…"

"TWO WEEKS?"

"I told you to keep your voice down!"

I took a step away from him, too disgusted to look at him anymore, "You're just like the rest of them, aren't you? A pretty spoiled rich boy who thinks he can get whatever his stupid little heart desires."

"Like your virginity?" He sneered suddenly and my head whipped around, "Don't think you were that good in the sack the first time we made love, Rosie. You are a natural now but you weren't one to begin with."

"You…you…" I stuttered and then regained my composure, "Fine, I guess you'll just have a new partner, won't you? I hope you get AIDS and die, you bastard!"

Without another word, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the laundry room in a huff. People turned and gawked at me but I didn't care. I guess I was louder than I had expected. Kristen smirked at me and tossed her blonde hair over her right shoulder.

"So I'm guessing he told you about our little…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, go suck his dick why don't you?" I interrupted bitterly and then stomped off to work the front desk. "Hi, welcome to the Bristol Athletic Club," I said in a sickly sweet voice, "Where we're all as pleased as punch to serve you! How may I help you this fine day?"

The woman obviously wasn't fooled and complained before she left. And then I got a rather harsh talking to from Mr. Bernard, the boss, who had come in to see how everyone was doing. He then asked me to go home, get some sleep and then come back for the evening shift to lock up. I agreed reluctantly and slowly slunk out the door, ignoring the glares that Kristen and Nate as they watched me leave.

As soon as I was in my car, I broke down and started bawling. He had indeed taken my virginity. It was right after I had moved from Bristol. I was an aspiring young writer, fresh out of college and he stole my breath away. Soon after that, he stole not only my breath but my innocence and my purity. Afterwards, I had heard from other girls in the area that he was a total player. I felt so dirty that I refused to talk to anyone for two weeks.

Then he asked to go out with me and I did. We had been going out for six months and then I realized he had been seeing numerous other women behind my back. My mother begged and my father threatened, but still, I thought I could change him.

Anyway, a young writer's dream shriveled up into nothingness and I got a job at the Athletic Club. I began to save up enough to buy an old house that I had fallen in love with on the east side of town, right by the bay. It was small, shabby, worn by the never resting trade winds that battered its sides but I loved its charm.

And so, after a year, I bought it and then, six months later, Nate broke up with me.

So, anyway, I managed to stop crying enough to get myself home and there I just lay on my bed and cried more, Ra giving me all the comfort I needed. I wanted to call someone but all they would say is, "I told you so, Rosie. That boy was bad news to begin with!"

At this thought, I began to cry even harder and finally, I fell into a deep sleep.

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><p>My dreams were strange, no doubt about it. Most of them had an ocean and water but there were some with a woman in a strange red dress with a hood obscuring her face. Whatever it was, it was bizarre and when I woke up again, I vowed I would take a melatonin that night. Then I realized that I was late again.<p>

"Not again…" I mumbled and ran into the bathroom and realized that my eyes were still puffy and red from crying. I was pretty much screwed no matter how I looked at it. I ran back into my room but realized that the only clean thing I had that WASN'T in my work locker or in the laundry was the bikini I had stuck in my bag this morning in hopes I could go in the hot tub after work.

I groaned in exasperation and then pulled off my sweatpants and tank top, throwing my swimsuit on and my sweatpants over the top of them. I couldn't BELIEVE I had left my uniform at work! Swearing under my breath, I ran out into the driveway. The sun had finally come out and so I pulled my sunglasses out of my bag.

Then my luck turned for the REALLY worse. As I was speeding down the highway, I could see a cop's red and blue lights in my mirror.

_"SHIT,"_ I said loudly and pulled off to the side of the road. I placed both hands on the steering wheel and hoped the cop wasn't a man.

It was.

He came up to my window and then looked at me for a moment. Finally I broke the silence, feeling the heat rise up my cheeks. "Uh, what can I do for you officer?" I asked in a sweet voice and the officer removed his glasses.

"Ma'me, you do realize that this is a 55 mile per hour zone and you were clocking at around 75 miles an hour."

"I'm sorry," I moaned and slammed my head against the steering column, "I had the worst day today. Please just give me my ticket and let me get to work. This is the second time I've been late today and my boss will have my head."

The officer was silent for a moment, "Ma'me, can I see your license and registration please?"

I pulled out both and handed them silently to the officer who studied them for a moment then handed them back to me, "Next time you get pulled over just don't be wearing a bikini," The officer said and wrote something down on a ticket which I took miserably. "Have a good day, Ma'me."

"Yeah you too," I muttered angrily and started my car back up. I pulled out into traffic and the cop went to go bother someone else. By the time I reached the gym, I was very cranky. I grabbed my bag, held it up to my chest and hurried towards the door, only to run into Kristen and Nate who got one look at me and started laughing!

I blushed furiously and then shoved them aside, trying to get into the club. Finally, I shoved my way through and hurried back into the backroom where I pulled on my club shirt and kept my sweatpants on. I ran back out of the room and then walked to the desk and began working.

The rest of the evening went smoothly and perfectly as guests filed out after a hard workout. I ate gummy bears and drank smoothies to keep the emptiness of being single away. It worked and finally, when the last employee had helped me clean up and left did I finally break down and start crying again. I sat on the bench in the employee's locker room and bawled my eyes out. This had been the worst day ever. I sniffed and then looked up. The speakers were still going and some Lady Gaga song was playing. Deciding that I had to let myself go sometime, I stripped off my shirt and sweatpants and then walked onto the pool deck. It was dark except for the lights under the water that cast strange flickering shadows across the walls.

Taking a deep breath, I ran towards the deck and dove in. The water engulfed me and I opened my eyes, wincing as the contacts came in contact with the chlorine. I came up for air and inhaled the warm, muggy air. I closed my eyes and kicked around the pool. It felt so good and I wanted to stay here forever. I smiled as the cares and worries of the day sunk back into the water.

Then, suddenly, something didn't seem right. I thought I heard footsteps on the deck, echoing across the room. My head snapped up and I treaded water in the pool for a few more seconds. Then I felt something slimy wrap around my ankle and pull hard! My head went under and I inhaled water as I screamed, thrashing and splashing, trying to get out of this thing's grasp. As soon as I was free, I swam back to the ladder and quickly launched myself out of the water, landing on the pool deck and running over to my bag for cell phone. With shaking, hands I pulled it out and hit a button to speed dial 911.

Of course, with my luck, it was dead.

I swore and then willed myself to look back at the pool. The water hadn't calmed down and was it my imagination or was there no bottom anymore? From the reflection, it looked like there was no blue tinged bottom, just dark emptiness.

Then, as the fates would have it, I was pushed. I had no clue what I was pushed by or even why, but I found myself falling in my pink and gold plaid bikini towards the water at an alarming speed. I swore loudly as I fell and then I found my head underneath the water and found all the air gone from my lungs. I looked up and through the haze; I saw the surface, much farther away than it had been before. The water also seemed darker and the sides of the pool were gone. I didn't pay much attention to it but I kicked up to the surface, gasping as my head surfaced into the salty, thick air.

Wait a second. SALTY?

My head whipped around from side to side and then something horrible dawned upon me. I wasn't in the gym anymore. Shoot, I highly doubted I was in MAINE anymore! I let out a wail of frustration and hit the water with my fists. Where was everyone and where was I?

Suddenly, I heard the groan of a ship and the whistle of wind in sails. I looked behind me and gasped when I saw a ship about 100 feet off. It was big and grand with great white sails that matched the clouds rolling across the sky. From here, I could read the name clearly. The Reaver II sailed across the water like it was no one's business. Then I realized that this might be my only means of getting out of the frigid water!

So, I began screaming. "HEY! HELLO, I'M OVER HERE!" I yelled out and fortunately, for the first time all day, my luck was beginning to change. Some dude on the ship saw me and began to call for his shipmates who all came running too. They gawked at me and then one of them shouted across the water, "ARE YOU A MERMAID?"

The question was so stupid that it took me by surprise, "DO I LOOK LIKE A MERMAID TO YOU, PUTZ HEAD?" I screamed and then the ship began turning in my general direction. As soon as it was close enough, a young man threw down a swing like device which I promptly grabbed and dragged myself onto the seat. They hauled me up and onto the deck and I feel onto the deck in a wet heap, coughing and sputtering. Then I realized they were looking at me up and down, taking in my wear. I then remembered I was wearing the bikini that I had fallen into the pool with.

"Okay, for one, will someone bring me a towel and two, where the heck am I?" I demanded and suddenly, a voice with a slightly nasally quality in a smooth English accent spoke.

"My, my, my, I told my men to put the net out for some fish and it looks like I caught myself a pearl instead."

I whipped around and almost gasped as I took in the most handsome man I had ever seen. He made Nate look like Hannibal Lector what with his sleek dark hair that was perfectly molded, brilliant green eyes and adorable goatee. He also seemed to have something like a beauty mark under his left eye that just added to his exotic appearance. But, my day had just been that bad, I could look him right in the face and ignore the fact that he was rather handsome and I was in a very scandalous costume.

"Is this some sort of sick joke?" I demanded, "I mean, I understand if Kristen put you up to this but this isn't funny anymore!"

The man arched an eyebrow and his smile found a way onto his lush lips, "Let me take you into my cabin and show you how much this isn't a joke, mŏncherie…"

"Don't even bother!" I snapped and wrapped my arms around my body to keep from shivering. Unfortunately, this created cleavage which this freaking hot creeper guy noticed right off the bat. He glanced there and I just kept shivering, "Can I at least have some warm clothes?" I asked, a little less ferociously. I was actually really cold.

"I know some other ways to warm up a beautiful woman such as yourself," he purred and took another step towards me. I took a step back and then held up one of my hands.

"Ah, look, you seem like a nice enough guy but I just got out a relationship, I am REALLY not interested," I said and shivered again. "Can I please have something warm?"

The man thought for a moment and then unbuttoned his jacket, exposing his crisp white shirt underneath. I thought for a moment and then deciding I didn't want to die from hypothermia, I ran over to him and he wrapped the jacket around us both. It was large enough for two people and it was very, very warm. The man wrapped an arm around me and I gasped slightly. The men got back to work slowly, still glancing back at me and this mysterious man.

"And what is your name, Pearl?" He purred into my ear and I felt myself shiver involuntary. I closed my eyes and felt the goose bumps erupt on my skin, even though I was getting warmer.

"I'm Rosie," I whispered and felt his hot breath on my neck, "Rosie McPherson. Where am I?"

"You are in Albion my dear," He purred and then I felt his fingers tug on the strings of my bikini, making my breath hitch in my throat, "And might I ask about this delicious attire that you are wearing?"

I swallowed loudly and then I spoke, angry that my voice betrayed me, "It's called a bikini. I was swimming before something…pushed me into the pool and now, I'm here." I finally willed myself to step out of his coat and face him. My knees had turned to jelly and I was glaring at him, "Now who are you? You attempt to seduce me and I don't even know who you are?"

The man smirked and then gave her a little bow. "I'm Reaver, King of the Pirates. Now, let's go find you something a little warmer to wear…"

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><p><strong>Oh Reaver, you sly dog! Taking another one of my OCs hearts! ;D <strong>

**If you liked what you read, REVIEW! I WOULD KILL FOR A REVIEW! :)**

**~*Peace out, A Town!~***

**Thais Y.**


	2. The Pirate's Lament

**UPDATED! Sorry! I had no motivation to write this story until idea strucketh and all was made clear! Still working on the general idea but hopefully, it will keep on rolling. **  
><strong>I do not own Fable II or III. I give that amazing privilege to Lionshead Studio and Microsoft.<strong>  
><strong>Reviews are appreciated!<strong>

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><p><em> Seems that I have been held, in some dreaming state<em>  
><em> A tourist in the waking world, never quite awake<em>  
><em> No kiss, no gentle word could wake me from this slumber<em>  
><em> Until I realise that it was you who held me under...<em>

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><p>I stepped over the threshold of his cabin and looked around. It was richly decorated with reds and golds and a grand bed stood in the middle of the room, looking as plush and as warm as anything I had ever seen. I heard the door close behind me and I whipped my head around to see the handsome rouge.<p>

"It's rather comfortable," He said blatantly and I blushed under his gaze and then without missing a beat added, "and it's even better with two people."

I felt my insides churn in remembrance. This guy, this super-hot pirate creeper was using the exact same tactics Nate once used. And the worst thing about it was that it had worked every time he used it or something similar. "Look," I began slowly, "You seem like a super nice guy but I've just met you and I just broke up with my boyfriend…"

One gloved finger touched my lips and he gave me a sultry look, "What better way to get out all that unwanted stress than a romp in bed? And I have been dying for some female companionship ever since leaving Aurora…"

I didn't want to ask what Aurora was or even say anything. That look would get me in a heartbeat if I said anything. So, using all my willpower, I stepped back and shook my head fiercely. "No! I'm sorry but I'm not one for casual sex! Can I have some warm clothes please?" I was almost to the point of running out of the cabin and jumping back into the ocean but I was afraid of a certain darkness I had begun to see as I refused him not once but twice in his eyes. Oh Lord…those eyes…if his words and hotness didn't get me, it would be his eyes. I was a sucker for beautiful eyes, no matter what I saw behind them.

Stupid me for falling for the physical attributes first. In the end, I knew it would be the death of me but whatever. It was a sweet, simple death and one with a bittersweet ending. I managed to get out of his intense glare and then shook my head to rid myself of the shadows entwining my brain. He arched an eyebrow as I took another step back, the blush finally receding.

"Very well, I'll get you some clothes," He said and walked over to an old fashioned wardrobe that stood on dark mahogany clawed feet. He opened the wardrobe with a flourish and then rummaged in it for a few moments before pulling out a rather fluffy black dress with gold trimmings, a pair of stockings, black boots that would reach about my mid-calf that were pointed at the toes.

"Unfortunately, I don't have any women's undergarments but…" He eyed my body and smirked, "You probably won't need them often anyway."

My fingers, so pale and delicate in the soft light of the red lamps, reached out for the clothing and he gave them to me without as much as a hitch. I arched an eyebrow and hugged the dress to my body, watching him move to the other end of the room to sit down at his desk. "Uh, hello? Are you going to go so I can get changed?"

He turned to face me and I noticed an intricately carved pipe hanging out of his mouth and a perfectly placed sneer on his perfectly handsome face. "If you're going to be on my ship, you're going to follow my rules and on my ship, since I am the captain, I get to go and come as I please. You should be grateful I even allowed you refuge on my ship and so with that, you may change." He sat back behind his desk and then took his pipe out of his mouth once more to speak, "Anyway, you'll be happy I'm here when you put on your dress. Besides I always like to see…" His eyes inherited a sly glint in them, "What I'm up against."

I blushed again and then his head went down to some paperwork on his desk. Finally, I got up enough courage to change in front of the pirate and I allowed the top part of the suit to leave my body but not until I turned to face away from the desk. I could feel his eyes on my back but I attempted to ignore him and his stupid eyes. The dress slid onto my body and I gaped at how it fit. It fell off my shoulders and showed off a lot of cleavage. From the bottom of my breasts to the start of my hips was a corset built into the dress. The strings fell down my back and before I could say anything else, Reaver was there, his strong hands on my hips, causing my breath to get hitched in my throat. His hands were there for only a few seconds before his fingers found the golden string that reminded me of my bikini to begin with. The dress was quickly laced and I was barely breathing, and hoping I didn't have to run anywhere quickly.

Suddenly, his hands were on my shoulders and he whipped me around and I was again caught in the dark gaze of those green eyes.

"It suits you well," He commented and then turned back to his desk. I looked at him and then I looked down at the dress. The bodice was decorated with golden plated flowers and it made my breasts look bigger than they really were. The bottom of the dress was loose and ended at about my knees and the black material floated around my legs making me feel like a princess. I had never worn anything like this. I grabbed the black sheer stockings and hoisted them over my golden bikini bottoms. I looked up to see Reaver watching me with an evil little glint in his eyes and she watched him warily for a few seconds and then proceeded to lace up her boots. The heels made little clicking noises when I stood up and Reaver also stood up from his desk and motioned me over to him.

I did so and he motioned me to turn around. I did as he asked and couldn't resist a little twirl so my skirt fluttered around me. Suddenly, a cold metal thing wrapped around my neck and my hand shot up to touch a pretty golden pendant that I couldn't see. Reaver's hands found the clasp and the heaviness of the accessory finally touched my bare skin.

"The perfect final touch," He said and I turned my head to look at him. He looked back, as cool as a cucumber and I stepped away from him.

"Who are you?" I asked softly. Here I was, a girl he found in the middle of the ocean and yet I was being treated like a house…I mean ship-guest he had known since he was a child!

He arched a dark eyebrow and walked back around to his desk, "Like I said before, I am the Pirate Reaver, obviously you've heard of me…"

"I can't say I have, Sir…" I began and Reaver let out a short bark of a laugh.

"You can't be serious. Everyone in Albion…"

"Where's Albion?"

Now I know I had said something even weirder than saying I didn't know who he was. He leaned back and let out a breath of smoke, sticking the pipe back between his perfect white teeth. He then leaned forward and watched me with his bright green eyes.

"Are you being completely serious with me right now because if you're not, I won't hesitate to kill you."

I leaned back, astonished. He had just threatened my life! This guy had balls; there was no doubt about that.

"I mean, not hearing about Albion is one thing but to never hear about moi!" He sounded astonished as he allowed his hand to remove the pipe, "That's a whole other matter entirely. Are you sure you've never heard of me?"

I shrugged, "Where I'm from, piracy happens by guys with AK47's and motorboats. I've only dreamed about giant boats, great billowing sails and uh…" I caught myself before I said handsome pirates in case he decided to come onto me again. I had had enough heartbreak in the past 24 hours than I had ever had in my entire life even though my body screamed to be touched by his skilled fingers. Dammit! I was nothing more than a horny teenager!

I tucked a strand of dark brown, almost black hair behind my ear and continued, "This…this is new to me. I still think that this is nothing more than a terrible joke but…"

Suddenly, the world around me froze and I felt myself get lightheaded. My ears popped and I turned my head to face a woman in a red dress, like the one I had seen in my dreams that afternoon!

"Who are you?" I demanded and the woman chuckled in a raspy, throaty voice.

"I am Theresa, the Seer of the Tattered Spire. You are Rosanna McPherson, of the rainy land of Maine. You are 24 years old and you have just recently broken up with your boyfriend Nate Oster."

"Yeah," I said, beginning to feel as if I had just landed in an episode of The Twilight Zone, "How do you know all that stuff about me?"

Theresa smiled bitterly and then I noticed that her eyes were milky white. She was blind as a bat. "I know this because I know all there is to know about the Pirate Lord that now sits in front of you. I know what has happened in his past and I know who he will sleep with this very evening. Do not fret, it isn't you." She said when she heard me gasp at that part in her little speech, "Your life is rather intertwined in Reaver's. He will try and use you but you will rise above that and you will become just as he is."

"What do you mean by that? Why am I here and how did I get here?" I demanded. I had no idea what she was talking about but I didn't care. All I wanted to do was go home and snuggle with my cat!

She chuckled once more, "You are in Albion, in the company of the most notorious pirate to ever roam the seas. He also happens to be one of the most narcissistic people on the face of the globe. He will explain more to you but for now; let me warn you that you will fall to his charms and you will end up sharing his bed more than once before you make the biggest choice in your life. There is no denying that."

"What the heck is an Albion? I figured out that much; I want to know where it is and why I'm here!" I snapped but Theresa just looked at me like I was the world's number one idiot.

"I just told you. You will find your destiny as you travel with him more but remember my warning, Rosanna."

"How do you know all this?" I demanded but she just waved her hand and the world faded back into color and Reaver finally spoke. "So where are you from?"

"I'm from Maine," I said distractedly, "Did you see her?"

Reaver looked around and then looked back into my eyes, "Who are you talking about? Are you ill?"

"Did you not see her? It was a woman in a red dress with a hood! She was pretty loud in that getup! How did you not see her?" I snapped and looked around some more. "Her name was Theresa and she…"

The effect of that name was almost instant and much more than I thought it deserved. A finely crafted gun was now pointed at my face and I tripped back over my chair and tried to get out of the way of the gun's business end.

"What do you mean she's here?" He demanded and his eyes suddenly darted around, looking for a way for the Seer to escape. "I'll blow her head off if I get the opportunity," He snapped and then looked back at me, "Why did you bring her here?"

"I didn't bring her here!" I snapped and then scrambled to my feet, trying to avoid crying now. I hated being so weak but I hated to get yelled at. All my emotions again came bubbling to the surface and now, tears were falling down my cheeks, "I don't know why I'm here and I don't know how I got here and now you're waving a gun in my face and all I want to do is GO HOME!" Now my voice had risen to a yell and suddenly, the gun went off two inches from my person and a perfect hole was left in the wall to my right. Reaver put the smoking gun away and then strode over to the window that looked over the endless expanse of ocean.

"Consider that a warning, my dear. Do not raise your voice at me and do not speak that woman's name again."

He said 'that woman' as if he was saying 'Pickles with sweaty armpit stains' and I knew he meant business. He then turned back to me and his smirk was gone but a murderous glint still flickered in his eyes.

"This is what you are going to do to earn your keep on my ship, my dear. If you wish to avoid the business end of my Dragonstomper .48, I suggest you listen to me closely. You will do everything my heart desires and you will do these things to the best of your ability. If I hear a breath of a complaint out of you, I will shoot you. If you refuse to do what I say, I will drown you and then shoot you. Do you have that?"

I shook my head so violently, I was afraid I might have given myself whiplash. "And Miss McPherson?"

I looked up and saw a smirk play across his features, "You will come to me sometime in the near future and if you refuse me again, I will make sure that my men have you any way they want and you won't have that pretty little dress to protect you."

I swallowed loudly and then Reaver offered me his arm as if we were about to stroll through the park on a warm spring afternoon. When I didn't take it, I saw his hand brush against his Dragonstomper and I took it at once. We walked out of his cabin and the crew members watched us pass, and even though I now knew I couldn't stand him, I clung to his side, in the fear that one of them would attack me.

One such man, I guess, was staring too long because without hesitation, Reaver pulled out his pistol and shot him in the head!

"Clean up the mess." He demanded to a few of his crew members and several men reached out to throw the body over the side of the Reaver II. He glanced over at me and saw my horrified expression. His grip tightened on my arm and we walked on, "You'll get used to it, my dear."

I didn't say much in the fear of bursting out into frightened tears and as I stood their silently, Reaver yelled, "Jenkins! Turn starboard and head back towards Bloodstone! I have some business to handle with some old friends!"

"Aye Capt'n." Said a grizzled old sailor and the ship turned. "We should be back in Bloodstone in about three days."

"Perfect timing as usual, Jenkins," Reaver laughed and I couldn't help but glance up at him. In the wind, his hair framed his face rather well. His eyes glittered in the sunlight and suddenly, his eyes flicked to mine and he caught me staring at him, "Like what you see? Most women do. And underneath, it's even better."

"Um…" I began and then turned my eyes away, trying to conceal my blush, "I was just ah…"

He smirked again and looked out towards the ocean. Somewhere, out there was the land of this mysterious Albion and Bloodstone. "I know it's hard to keep your eyes off perfection. This evening, you shall dine with me and then we will discuss sleeping quarters and your other tasks."

I shrugged and then was released, "For the rest of the afternoon, I will ask you to relieve Mr. Thomas in the Crow's Nest."

"Great. Where's that?" I asked blatantly and Reaver pointed towards a younger sailor.

"Mr. Delaney, please show Miss McPherson to the Crow's Nest and show her what to do." He said and then turned on his heel and walked back to his cabin without as much as a goodbye. I looked back at Mr. Delaney who was a strapping youth probably about twenty or so. He was extremely handsome and the moment he spoke, I found myself entranced by his Irish sounding accent intermingled with a little bit of South France.

"So, you're the little mermaid who got ensnared in our nets this morning?" He asked good naturedly and I smiled slightly. He was far more kind that that bloody pirate.

"You could say that," She retorted, "I'm not exactly the best swimmer in the world and I thought mermaids were supposed to be pretty."

"I never said you weren't pretty," Delaney said and she felt herself blush. She wasn't used to such flattery. "Actually, you are rather lovely what with your dark hair and fair complexion." He paused and then finally cleared his throat. "What you're going to do is you're going to crawl up to that bucket up there and relieve Mr. Thomas. He shouldn't give you any trouble but hopefully, you'll see something. I'm ready for some action."

I rolled my eyes and chuckled. This boy had a death wish.

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><p>Twilight sparkled across the mirror-like surface of the water as I stared across, dreaming of a place so far away. I had no idea where Maine was but right now, I was happy just to have some peace and quiet. Behind me, musicians were beginning to tune up and the men mingled with each other, some talking, others watching the Reaver's door.<p>

"The Capt'n wants you in his quarters in forty five minutes," A rough voice snapped me back to reality and I looked up to see the grizzled man who was at the helm earlier that day.

"Alright," I said nodding in his general direction. Suddenly, Delaney caught my eye and motioned me over. I gave him a look and then wandered over, curious. I stopped in front of him and noticed he held a fiddle in one hand.

"Are you much of a dancer, Miss McPherson?" He asked and I gave him a little wry smile.

"I am not unless you count bouncing up and down."

He laughed again and then handed the fiddle to someone else. "Then I will teach you how to dance like my mam taught me," He reached over, put his hand on my waist, and grasped my other hand in his. "Now put your hand on my shoulder," He instructed and I did so.

Suddenly, the sailors began to dance and jig and one of his fellow shipmates began a rather quickly paced song. We swung and danced until my legs were sore and my face was flushed. Now these were the sort of sailors I had dreamed about when I was younger. They were the sailors that laughed when the music played at the end of a hard day and those who worked their hearts out. We stomped our feet in time with the music and laughed at my stupid sidesteps until my sides hurt. Then, my world came crashing down at myfeet.

"Miss McPherson, are you ready for dinner?" Mr. Jenkins asked and I looked at Delaney, who let me go and stepped away from me, his eyes watching me the whole time. I sighed and then looked towards the door of Reaver's cabin. I wasn't looking forward to this at all. Jenkins knocked on the door and Reaver's voice was heard.

"Come in."

"Here's Miss McPherson for ye, Capt'n." He said and bowed deeply, "If you need anything else don't hesitate to ask."

"I never do, Mr. Jenkins." Reaver said and motioned for me to sit down. I hesitated for a second and then sat down across from him. "You're all sweaty. You haven't been engaging in any…activities with my crew members, have you?"

"Just dancing, honestly." I said and looked down at my plate. It looked safe enough and Reaver was eating so I assumed it was safe.

"And more than that. Don't play coy with me, my dear. You had your eyes on Mr. Delaney the whole time and I don't blame you one little bit. He is certainly a joy to have on the ship…" His eyes adopted a lustful little glint and my stomach contorted into a knot. Delaney was sleeping with Reaver! That bastard!

"And as for your sleeping arrangements, I have decided you will stay here in my cabin with me in my bed."

My grip tightened on the fork and obviously he saw that because he smirked. "I told you what I expected from you. I promise I won't touch you unless you beg for it."

"Don't expect me to beg."

He looked up at me and his eyes narrowed, "I'm sorry?"

My eyes met his, "I said don't expect me to beg. I'm not your bitch, Reaver."

He sat there for a few seconds, digesting what I had said. Finally, his hand flitted over his gun and I knew that it was over I knew that I had said the unforgivable and now…He was going to kill me.

I screwed my eyes shut and heard his chair scrape across the floor and his thudding steps coming towards me. Then the cold metal of his gun was on my temple and his hand was wrapped around my arm.

"No one," He breathed, thumbing back the hammer, "Talks to me that way."

I closed my eyes tighter, feeling my tears begin to fight against my eyelids. Then, my punishment came.

Without another thought, Reaver's lush lips were on my thin ones, crushing them in a bone bruising kiss.

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><p><strong>Song is Blinding by Florence + The Machine. I thought it was appropriate for this chapter. :) <strong>


	3. A Woman's Place in Life

**Another chapter for my (hopefully) avid readers! I hope you guys are enjoying the story! I love feedback, just be polite and honest about it and please don't tell me Reaver is OOC. I can't right Reaver to save my life. I never have been, I can keep trying and keep watching all the stupid cutscenes from Fable II and III and I still won't be able to write him very well. Ah well. I'm trying, give me credit. **

**Other than that, I don't own Fable. I own my OC, Rosie and everyone else on the stupid pirate ship. (Well except for Reaver, obviously.) **  
><strong>Feedback is appreciated, even an "awesome story! Keep up the good work!" Would be great. :)<strong>

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><p><em>"ransom notes keep falling out your mouth<em>  
><em> mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs<em>  
><em> speak no feeling no I don't believe you<em>  
><em> you don't care a bit, <em>  
><em> you don't care a bit..."<em>

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><p>I was astonished for a moment before coming to my senses. I opened my eyes and saw him looking right back at me, daring me to stop him from kissing me. I still felt his gun at my temples and I knew that this was my punishment. I tasted blood and I tried to shake my head out of it but I knew if I wasn't careful there would be a bullet through my brain and the blood in my mouth wouldn't be the only blood I would have to worry about.<p>

Actually, kissing him wasn't as bad as I first thought it to be. His lips were super soft and yes, they were as lush as they looked. However, there were several things wrong with the situation. For one, it hurt to kiss him and the second one was the cold metal of the gun digging into my skull.

However, I couldn't control myself as I closed my eyes and tried to angle my head better to deepen the kiss. Shit! What the hey-hi-hello was going on with me?

All pressure left my lips suddenly and I opened my eyes and saw a smirk plastered on those lips. However, his eyes were swimming in darkness. For a split second, I forgot the gun was to my temple until it was pulled away and placed back in its holster. I was silent for a few more minutes until Reaver slowly made his way back to his grand seat and he sat back down, watching me try and regain my composure. It wasn't going very well.

"Cat got your tongue?" He asked slyly and an eyebrow arched. That damned man…he was making me weaker than Nate had ever done. And I hadn't even known him for 24 hours! By this time tomorrow, I could be sleeping with the man! After a few seconds of silence Reaver then asked, "Well then, can the cat have more?"

I almost laughed at that. "No…I just…that surprised me." I felt breathless, like I had just surfaced from something more than I had ever experienced with Nate. In those few seconds, I had gotten more than I had ever gotten from my ex.

Reaver chuckled and leaned forward, "So might I ask if a little endeavor to the bed is out of the question?" His nimble fingers graced the stem of his wineglass and I hate to say this but I almost hesitated.

"I think I'm going to have to pass on that one," I said, choosing my words carefully so that not to upset him again. However, with that sort of punishment…I almost said something different but bit the inside of my cheek where I had made it bleed from my previous lip lock session with the pirate.

"Really?" He looked at me once more and his smirk, if possible, turned even more mischievous, "Your mouth says no, but your body," Here he looked down at where the neckline of my dress ended and bare skin began, "Demands apt attention as soon as possible."

I felt my eyes widened and Reaver leaned back in his chair, scrutinizing my face, "So this brings me to possible sleeping arrangements for you."

"Just give me a blanket and I can go sleep wherever," I said quickly because I knew I did NOT need the sort of temptation he was offering me. "I mean, not with the men of course but out on the deck…"

"I couldn't possibly let a lady such as yourself sleep outside, my dear. The only acceptable idea would you staying here and sleeping with me. And I do mean the unconscious kind unless you're feeling rather…hot beneath the collar, shall we say?"

I leaned back in my chair and sighed, running a hand through my hair. I hadn't even realized it had been down until I did that because my hair usually was up to keep it from my eyes.

I looked down and saw the black elastic around my wrist and I reached around to pull it up, relishing how cool the cabin now felt now that the weight of the giant dark mass was off my shoulders. I glanced back at him and I saw him drinking deeply from his goblet. I smiled slightly and finished tying back my hair. "Don't worry. I think I'll be alright." I said and began to eat my now rather cold dinner. "May I please go back out the deck and dance some more?"

Reaver was silent for a moment and then he nodded "alright but I want you back in here afterwards."

I thanked him and then ran out of the cabin, almost running into Delaney as he was walking back to the dance floor.

"Oh!" I gasped slightly as the warm skin of my arm met his cold biceps. He glanced at me and I could see a flash of anger in his eyes.

"Did he have his way with you?" He asked suddenly and then before I could answer, he turned and walked back out, past the dance floor to the arse of the ship, where he put his hands on the railing and shut his eyes. I followed after him but now, he wouldn't even look at me. I sighed and put a warm hand on his cool one.

"No, he didn't," I murmured softly and he opened his eyes and looked at me.

"It seems like every woman falls under Reaver's spells, no matter what." He told me in a hushed whisper and I almost told him I had lost control and had given myself to him but decided not to. Let the other hot guy believe I was noble too. "I thought you would probably too…"

Here I had to dig my fingernails into my hand to keep from making any noise and so I didn't feel ridiculously guilty. "I'm not like other girls."

He laughed slightly and then looked at me, "I can tell. You seem…different than the women of Albion. You're…unique."

Now it was my turn to laugh. Unique? The only time I had been called unique was when I won a talent show in fifth grade for my rendition of "Don't Stop Believin'" on the trombone. "Trust me, I'm not special. I'm just…"

"Different," Delaney leaned so close to me I could smell the booze on his breath. Of course pretty boys drank too. Nate had been no different. However, he wasn't drunk. "You know, women who are different always seem to stand out in my heart and always seem to worm their way in. I feel as if there's a…connection between us, Miss McPherson."

"I'm not really one for the whole fairy tale ending, Delaney," I said, looking out over the ocean, ignoring his gorgeous grey eyes. "My Prince Charming was nothing but a liar who left Cinderella on the foot of the stairs with her pumpkin and one glass slipper."

He looked back at me and cocked his head, "Who is this Cinderella you speak of? I thought your name was Rosie."

I finally turned to him and stared at him in disbelief. Oh yeah. We weren't in the United States or Canada where people actually knew about the midnight romp of Cindy and her prince and I wasn't in the mood to explain it to a literature challenged sailor, no matter how hot he was.

"It's…never mind. Forget I said anything about it." I waved my hand as if I was waving away a rather obnoxious insect and he seemed perfectly happy to drop the subject. We stood in silence for a few more moments, allowing the music to relax the quiet that engulfed us. Why oh why was I so bad at making small talk? My mother said that I never really had the gift of gab but sometimes…like now, I wished I had been given what had been given to my older sister.

"So…" Delaney said in the hopes of breaking the silence, "What is it like in…well…where you live? How does this differ from where you're from? I mean aside from the fact that most women don't go swimming in the middle of the ocean in an extremely scandalous outfit. Most whores wear more than that."

I turned to him and ignored the jab about the whores, "Where I come from, the whole pirate thing, has been replaced by motorized boats and there are no more pistols and rifles. Most of them use AK-47's now. It's a type of gun," I added when I saw his confused face. "Other than that, I don't know anything else because I haven't seen anything else." I laughed softly and looked back over the water, glittering like diamonds in the light of the half moon. "I've never been a big water person or a boat person so this is totally new to me."

Delaney crossed his arms over his chest and shivered suddenly, "Are you cold? Do you want to go and stand with the others?"

I closed my eyes and savored the nip of the salty air. The wind tickled the loose hairs across the nape of my neck and I drew my arms closer to my body. I opened my eyes and turned to Delaney who held out his arm to me like a gentleman would have done for a lady 100 years ago in my world but here…it was chivalry. If he was going to treat me like an actual human being, I probably wouldn't have minded staying here for a while. Or at least until I got over my broken heart which was now beating against my ribcage like a wild gibbon who had been poked too many times with a stick.

We reentered the circle and the men playing the musical instruments quickly took note of my presence. "Ah look! Little Miss McPherson! Would you like to grace us with your musical talents?" The oldest one smiled a toothless grin and winked as I tried to step back.

"Oh no…I can't carry a tune to save my life and even so I don't know…" I began to babble because unlike my sister, when I was caught in certain predicaments, my mouth wouldn't stop running itself. The sailors all laughed and then began to egg me on. I had never been a musical person and even when I had been playing the trombone, I hadn't been very good at it. "I'm serious! You hear me sing and you'll all be deaf for a week!" I tried to persuade them but they would have none of it. Finally, I caved and walked to where the musicians were much to the delight of the crew. "Alright, play this. D minor, F, C, G minor, D minor, C A sharp, A minor, and repeat."

The man on the fiddle played that and I took a deep breath, trying to qualm the butterflies that were threatening to make their colorful appearance as half-digested food.

" No, I can't take one more step towards you

'Cause all that's waiting is regret

Don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore,

You lost the love I loved the most

I learned to live, half alive,

And now you want me one more time…"

The song, Jar of Hearts, had been sung so many times by so many heartbroken girls but now, they were picking up the tune of the song and adding their own little bits and pieces. The song went on and now, I was singing from the heart, not caring who heard. I hoped Nate knew that I never wanted to see him again and I hoped that the other men who had been abruptly put into my life knew I was a force that shouldn't be reckoned with. I was a girl with a broken heart and I was ready to take the male race by force. No more would I fall for the dreamy eyes of Reaver or Delaney or shed another tear over the laughs of Nate and Kristen.

The song finished and the rest of the crew began to clap, whistle and stomp their feet. I blushed once again and smiled slightly. The crusty old sailor nodded and then began to play a far livelier tune that got the sailors going once more. They began to dance once more and I stepped into the shadows, not needing for anyone to see my tears because no matter how hard I willed them not to come, they always did. Not even Delaney came over to comfort me. I wished, with all my heart that I was back in my own bed, cuddling with my cat with a mug of hot chocolate. If only I hadn't dived into that pool…

The next thing I was aware of was an oasis of warmth hugging my shoulders and an undeniable crick in my neck. How long had I been sleeping with my head on the railing? I groaned and looked at the person who had put a blanket around my shoulders. I couldn't see his face very well in the moonlight but could tell it wasn't anyone I had met yet.

"Thank you," I said my voice still thick with sleep. He nodded and then spoke.

"Reaver fell asleep several hours ago and knew you had fallen asleep out here. He told me to tell you to stay out here tonight for all he cares because you're not being invited back into his cabin this evening."

It took a few seconds to process all this but I was pleased to hear that I didn't have to sleep…I mean sleep next to…a madman. I shrugged and I could feel my eyelids drifting shut once more. I really wanted to doze off again but knew if I didn't move, I wouldn't be able to move my neck in the morning. "Thanks for that. I'll go find somewhere to sleep then."

"Miss McPherson," He said and I looked at him, trying to stay focused because I felt sleep trying to reclaim my brain. "The best place to sleep is down in the supplies, if you don't mind sleeping so close to us men."

I smiled sleepily at him and shook my head slowly, "I'll stay up here for tonight. I can sleep anywhere," I assured him and with a tip of his hat, he walked back across the deck to watch for other ships.

I took my blanket and slowly curled up between three barrels and the ship's side and promptly fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

The first thing I heard in the morning was someone shouting, "MISS MCPHERSON!" I opened one bloodshot eye and groaned. My head hurt and the sunshine only made it feel worse. I felt like I was hung over but knew that nobody had done anything to me. I sat up and ignored my pounding head, raising my hand to let the person know where I was. He ran over to me and I saw his face. He was a seedy little man who smiled at me when he saw my hiding spot. "Miss McPherson, the Captain is looking for you."

"Alright, I'm up," I mumbled and stumbling from the roll of the ship, I followed the man to the door and he knocked on it softly.

"I have the girl, Captain," He said and Reaver didn't even look up as we entered.

"Very good Jenkins," He said and finally, when the door was closed did he look up. He didn't look happy, even though he had a smirk on his face.

"You are rather strange," he observed and I winced at the ice in his voice, "I offer you a warm bed, big enough for both of us and yet you sleep outside even after I told you to come back in here after all the fun and games were over."

"I'm sorry," I blurted out, "I fell asleep on the deck. I didn't mean to fall asleep out there, but you try falling into another world and then we'll see how YOU sleep!"

I needed to watch my mouth really bad because with a flick of his wrist, his gun was pointed at me again and there was no promise of any other kisses. "I would kill you right here and right now, but unfortunately, I need you." The gun was gone as fast as it had come and I watched him as he moved across the carpet to stand in front of me. "But that doesn't mean I can't inflict other damage on you." There was a strange little glint in his eye now and that scared me. I turned my face away, afraid of what might happen.

But nothing came and when I turned my head back, Reaver was sitting back behind his grand desk, observing me.

"So…that brings me back to the original point of our little meeting of sorts. I want you to stay away from Delaney, if you know what's good for you. And I doubt you want his pretty blood spilled all over the deck on your account."

My head snapped up and I felt my jaw drop open. "You wouldn't dare…" I began to say but the look I got told me otherwise. I inhaled sharply and looked at him square in the eye. "Okay, or maybe you would."

"I never lie, Miss McPherson," He said, leaning across his desk slightly, "Except when it's extremely necessary. Now unless you have something else to complain about…"

I exhaled, defeated as Reaver went on, "So this evening, I expect you to be in my quarters as soon as the sun sets. And today, for your disobedience, your duties include going down to the kitchen and scrubbing out pots and whatever else the cook has you do. After that, you will report back to me and I will give you the rest of your duties."

I nodded quickly and Reaver pointed towards the door, "You are excused. Tatty-bye, my dear."

I walked over the threshold and watched as the door closed behind me. I sighed, tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and then meandered to where I could smell food wafting into my nostrils. Several other men were heading that way and I followed them until I was swallowed by the belly of the ship. The darkness took a few seconds to get used to but I found the kitchen by following the pirates. As soon as I got full force of the smell of food, my stomach started to growl and I realized that the last thing I had eaten was the gummy bears and smoothies that I had eaten at the gym almost 24 hours ago. My stomach reminded me of that rather loudly.

"Miss," Someone said and handed me a slab of something that resembled a piece of wood. Then I was jostled in line and I got my food-some sort of meat and a biscuit-and I sat down at the end of a table, trying to stay away from the men. I didn't want to put them in the same predicament I had put Delaney in.

The meat was greasy and gross and the biscuit was even worse, hard and there were WORMS in it (which I was quickly told were weevils.) I quickly realized that I was going to lose a lot of weight on this voyage. Thank God that this…Albion place was only a three's day journey. I couldn't do this anymore. As soon as we landed, I was going to find the nearest phone and get out of here. If I could. I hadn't had much luck so far, why should I have any now?

As soon as I was done with my…breakfast, if one could call it that, I walked over to where the giant kettles were being scrubbed by three very unfortunate looking cabin boys. As soon as I stepped up, the cook, an older man with grizzled pulled back in a ponytail and frightening visage, sneered at me in the same way Reaver had.

"Ah. You must be the lady that they've all been talking about. A mermaid, I've heard." He spat onto the floor and then let out a phlegmy guffaw. "I say the only thing that we can do with fish caught in the nets is cook them and eat them!" he laughed again and I let out a dry little chuckle. "I'm guessing that the Captain got tired of you and sent you down here to do a woman's job."

I found myself disliking the cook almost instantly as the cabin boys watched this little banter. He looked back to the boys and then chuckled, "Boys, go help up top. I'll have this young lady finish up. If the Captain wants her down here, he wants me to work her to the bone."

I watched the boys file out and as they left, one of them handed me a greasy, disgusting rag which I held between my thumb and forefinger. The cook gave one last laugh and then shoved a bucket of soapy water in my general direction.

"Well then, get to it, Mermaid Girl. I ain't got all day!"

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><p><strong>An interesting turn of events for our...Ahem. Mermaid Girl. Anyway, questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave them in your review!<strong>  
><strong>Song used: <em>"Hide and Seek"-Imogen Heap<br>_**


	4. Heavy Arms

**Sorry about the sort of strange chapter. Reaver is still seeming a bit OOC, so please don't punch me in the uterus about that. **  
><strong>Holy crap, I'm listening to Florence + The Machine, "Addicted To Love" and I was thinking that that's the perfect song for this chapter. XD (I also hope Rosie isn't a Mary Sue...) <strong>  
><strong>Anywhoo, I am really enjoying writing this story! I hope you guys are enjoying reading it! :D (if so, there is a cute little button at the bottom of the page that needs some luvin!) Questions? Comments? Concerns? Please leave them with your review and I'll answer them in the next installment! (Feedback is also appreciated. Give me the good, the bad and the ugly! I'm not afraid!) <strong>  
><strong>Fable, Reaver, etc. (c) Lionhead<strong>  
><strong>Rosie (c) Yours truly<strong>

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><p><em>"I was a heavy heart to carry<em>  
><em> My feet dragged across the ground<em>  
><em> And he took me to the river<em>  
><em> Where he slowly let me drown<em>

_ My love has concrete feet, my love's an iron ball_  
><em> Wrapped around your ankles, over the waterfall..."<br>_

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><p>My body ached and I was greasy and sweaty. My hair was disgusting and my back ached more than it had ever in my entire. I would also kill for a shoulder massage or a back rub. By the time I had finished one pot, it was back on the burner filled with that reeking meat again. I also reeked of brine and old lard. The dress that had been given to me was stained and I had ripped the knees of the stockings while climbing into one of the pots. The cook had rambled on and on about how a woman's place in the world was the kitchen and I was forced to listen to those pointless remarks.<p>

I stood up and my back popped loudly, causing the cook to glance over at me. "Well Mermaid, are you done now?"

"Yes sir," I spoke in a hushed voice in the hopes of not sending him down another rabbit hole that had to do about how women were so inferior to men. He looked at me for a few more seconds and took into consideration the ripped stockings and stained dress and nodded in approval.

"You are free to go then," he said icily and I nodded and hurried up the stairs, ignoring the crew. I heard my last name and I turned around to see Delaney waving at me. I quickly turned on my heel and meandered over to where the steps went up to the aft of the ship. Reaver was at the helm, steering and I glanced up at him. His hair glinted in the sunlight that filtered through the clouds and his smirk was far closer to a smile than ever I had seen it. He looked so powerful, ready to take on the world.

"Take a photograph, it lasts longer." Reaver's voice suddenly cut through my thoughts and I turned my eyes away blushing, "Then again, you would have to wait three months to see my lovely face and perhaps by that time, you would be dead. Indeed that would unfortunate, but that is just how the world turns, my dear."

"Wait…three months?" I asked, my ears quickly pricking up at the unusual time span. I then remembered they probably didn't have digital cameras and cell phones in Albion. Oh well…

"You seem to have been put to work," Reaver said, eyeing my tattered and stained dress. He turned back to watch the sea and but I could see the smirk in his eyes, "Did it take some of the attitude out of you?"

I decided not to answer this in case my mouth had a mind of its own and Reaver seemed to sense this because he turned his eyes to me and observed me for a moment. "You may go relieve the man in the crow's nest, now."

I nodded silently and still ignoring Delaney's icy glares on my back and I walked towards the mast, where I began climbing the ladder that led up to the very top. When my head brushed the man's feet, he jumped but then looked down and saw my grimy head. He grinned at me and smiled back. Such a pleasant change after Reaver's constant smirking.

"Are you here to relieve me?" He asked and I snorted.

"No, I'm here to tap dance all over my grandmother's grave. Help me up will you?"

He did so and we looked at each other for a few seconds before he wrinkled his nose and then looked at my disgusting attire. "Why do you smell so bloody awful?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, "Don't ask. It's a long story and one I'd rather not repeat."

"Did the Captain put you on dish duty?" he asked sympathetically and I nodded sheepishly, "Ah it's alright…When I was first a ship's boy on the Reaver II, I had dish duty several times but then after several…incidents…with the Captain, I got booted up to midshipman. But that's another story for another day."

I nodded as he went on, "Okay, well, I'm assuming you know what to do?"

"I can't say I do," I said truthfully and he scoffed and rolled his eyes. I couldn't help but be born in a society that didn't use a spyglass every second of the day.

He taught me what to do and then left me to watch the endless expanse of blue to my heart's content. I could hear the men swearing and laughing below as they did their work and several times, I heard my name caught up in the fray. Several notions about me sleeping with Reaver that morning, theories about how I had ended up in the ocean to begin with (My favorite was that I was an escaped sex slave who had jumped overboard two weeks prior and had survived on rainwater and raw fish that were too curious for their own good.)

I laughed as I leaned up against the rough wood of the crow's nest, not expecting my next visitor to be so handsome. Delaney's head popped up and I gasped when I saw his curly dark hair. It was a lot like mine, in a way but his eyes sparkled far more than mine ever did. I guess that was the grey in them.

"You scared me," I said, laughing slightly once more and placing a hand on my breast. He wasn't laughing, "What's going on?"

"Is it true what the crew are saying?" He asked gruffly, "You went back on your promise to me and slept with…HIM?"

I sat up and looked at him, "No! No, of course not! I could never sleep with something that…foul." I spat the last word and he glared at me, "Who are you going to believe? Me or the crew? I was there with the bastard, I should know what I let him do to me."

"Then how come he's saying it too?" Delaney asked in a harsh whisper and I suddenly felt as if I had been kicked in the stomach.

"He's…lying…" I gasped, trying to contain my anger, "He's totally lying! He's just saying that for…Oh I don't know the stupid reason!"

Suddenly, I was pulled forward and Delaney's lips had captured mine in a swift, but smoldering kiss. I gasped and splayed my hand across his chest, trying to pushing him away but my will power was fading fast and now I tilted my head to deepen the kiss and a breathy little sigh fluttered past my lips. Before I knew it the kiss was over and I had reopened my eyes to look into his dark grey ones. He planted one last quick kiss on my lips before pulling back and looking at me.

"Well?" He asked softly and I hated how my voice shook when I responded,

"It certainly took me off guard."

"That was the idea," he responded and then looked down to see if anyone had watched the exchanges of lip locks we had just participated in. "I'm sorry to be so straightforward with you but I can drop the stony sailor boy when I'm with a lady. And with you it's like…something I can't explain."

How badly I wanted to tell him that I didn't get the same feelings he did for me. I didn't want to lead him along like this but something in me wanted me to continue this charade. It wasn't every day I had an extremely hot sailor boy wanting me instead of vice versa. Ah crap…my morals were at war in my head and the dark side that rarely showed itself was winning.

"Look…this evening…during my turn to watch…could you come out onto the deck and can we talk some more?" He asked in a gentle voice and the dragon of lust answered for me.

"Yes, I can try and sneak away from Reaver for a few moments," I murmured back as he brushed my knuckles against his lips. I had to bite my lip and sure, I was nervous, but I didn't have those butterflies in my stomach. He just wasn't making me go bananas the way Nate had. I couldn't quite put my finger on it but as soon as he had gotten my reassurance, he was back down the ropes and I finished out my sentence high above the rest of the world in a peaceful silence that was quickly dominated by sleep until the next sailor came to relieve me, frowning at my choice of activities.

I climbed down the salt encrusted rungs of the netting and before my feet even hit the deck, Reaver was there, watching me carefully with those strange, gorgeous eyes of his. My boots slammed onto the wood with a dull THUD and Reaver then spoke.

"Did you look like that when you woke up this morning? I feel bad for the crew who had to look upon that dirty visage." He chuckled as if it was a joke we shared and I felt myself glaring at him all the while, "No matter. Tomorrow, we will be in Albion and you will be free to go wherever your little heart desires, my little minx."

"Why did you say we had sex, Reaver?" I asked suddenly and instantly I regretted the question. He looked down on me and his lips turned into a little smirk of triumph.

"I didn't know there were rumors like that going around," He said huskily, "Would you like to make them true?"

My lip curled up into a sneer of my own and I glared at him, "No! Not with you, not with anyone else!"

Reaver's eyes flicked up to a sailor's backside and then spoke again, "Obviously you want something to do with Mr. Delaney though, am I correct?"

I was again, speechless. He HAD seen us kissing! After I had said I wouldn't egg him on. Reaver would kill him for sure now. "I…uh…"

"Do you want to keep him safe, Rosie?"

My head snapped up and I realized that was the first time Reaver had even spoken my name. "Y-Yes, I do."

"Do you have feelings for him?"

I had to be honest, "No, I don't. But he's nothing more than an innocent boy. You can't kill him. He is the only person who has taken interest in my wellbeing on this ship this whole time. He is the closest thing I have to a friend, but no, I do not have feelings for him romantically, if that's what you're implying."

Reaver thought for a moment and then smirked once more, "If you want me to keep from putting a bullet in between those pretty eyes of his, I suggest you listen to me closely, my dear."

Finally, I realized what Reaver was talking about. And I knew that this is what Theresa had been talking about. I would succumb to Reaver and now that I thought more about it, the more I hated the idea and was tempted to ask Reaver to put a bullet through Delaney's head.

Holy crap, what was TALKING in there?

After a few moments, I looked back up at him and I could see the smirk had grown wider, like the idea of taking me to his bed was fueling the evil smile itself. I shivered and then nodded, "Alright Reaver, I'm listening."

"You will come to my bedroom at ten thirty this evening and if you refuse me once again, I will shoot you, then Delaney and then anyone who breathes a mention of either of you, do you understand?" Reaver's hand brushed against his gun and I swallowed and nodded. "Until then, I suggest you get cleaned up. I will have someone give you your clothes and then you will come up to my cabin. We will discuss the terms of your…service there."

It felt like I had been slapped in the face. I felt like a prostitute. I was saving the life of someone I hardly knew. There was something about being around this guy. Something that I couldn't put my finger on. Without further ado, I nodded slightly.

"Where do I go to get cleaned up?" I asked and Reaver pointed to where the kitchen was.

"Go down to the kitchen and ask the cook for some soap and water. You can get cleaned up wherever you like."

I nodded and then turned on my heel to go downstairs to talk to the stupid cook once again.

Ten thirty came far too quickly and I stood at Reaver's cabin door, feeling as clean as I could possibly feel with gritty soap and hard water. My still damp hair hung around my face in loose curls and my heart was hammering in my chest and I felt like I had consumed a can of 100 live worms. I gulped and knocked on the cabin door.

"Come in," Came Reaver's cold, high voice and I felt goose bumps arise on my chilled skin. I opened the door and crossed the threshold, taking care to watch my footing. When I saw Reaver, I was surprised not to see him in his red jacket, but a half opened cream colored shirt, revealing a very well-toned chest. I took in a shaky breath and he glanced in my general direction.

"So I see you can actually be controlled," He smirked and I had to suppress my gag reflexes. "Come in, don't be shy," He purred and I stepped farther into the cabin, wary of what skin I was showing. He had given me a pair of pants and a shirt that exposed more cleavage than I was comfortable with. "Would you like something to drink? Wine? Brandy?"

"Wine is fine," I said wearily, knowing I would probably want a little alcohol in my bloodstream before the night was over. He placed a goblet in my outstretched hands and I looked at the red liquid shimmering in the bottom of my cup. "Thank you."

Reaver walked behind his desk and tipped the beverage into his own chalice. He then meandered over to where his bed lay and laid down on it. Seeing that I wasn't coming, he patted the mattress right next to him and feeling the worms suddenly rear their ugly heads; I slowly made my way over to the crimson duvet and sat down on the fabric. It felt good to rest after a day of working in those stupid pots. My back hurt like a son of a gun and I sighed as I kicked off my boots and pulled my feet up underneath me.

"Feel good?" He chuckled and drank again from his cup. "Just imagine how it feels when there are two writhing bodies in it."

I laughed softly and drank deeply, "Is that all you think about? Sex? You don't have to answer truthfully but I can see through that muse like a piece of glass."

Reaver pretended to be hurt, "Oh dear, I do believe you bruised my ego. So unbecoming of such a beautiful woman."

I laughed softly and looked down at the molten gold of the cup, "You should try telling my boy…I mean…ex-boyfriend that. He loved to put me down and tell me how ugly I was and how many other girls he should be doing…Now that I look back at it our relationship wasn't really that good."

I drank again and put down the cup. "I mean, as soon as he saw Kristen, he didn't even look back at me. I hate him for that but I still love him. It makes me wonder…did he even love me."

Reaver was silent as I rambled but as soon as I was on my second cup, I felt my head swimming and I could feel the drunken haze begin to claim my senses. "I don't even know why I'm here," I droned, "I fell into a pool and now I'm here, in bed with an extremely fine specimen of men and you had the nerve to go and give me liquor."

"You took it, my little minx," Reaver countered and suddenly, he leaned forward and pressed his wine stained lips against mine. I was taken aback for a few seconds but tried to keep my head as I kissed him back, savoring the drunken stupor of our lip lock. I felt something stir in my belly, something I had kept hidden but now, it was pounding at the front door and it was rearing to do.

And so, as Reaver pulled me under, the beast was released and I allowed myself to drown in the darkness of our inner demons, intertwining in the twilight. I allowed him to take my baggage and together we sunk deeper and deeper past the point of no return. He was stripping me of everything I thought I was...

One piece at a time.

* * *

><p><em>"I'm so heavy. Heavy. Heavy in your arms<em>  
><em> I'm so heavy. Heavy. Heavy in your arms..."<em>

No lemony goodness in this one, but it's implied. Just wait, it's coming. Song used: "Heavy in Your Arms"-Florence + The Machine  
>I DO NOT OWN THE SONG OR FABLE!<br>**Please drop me a line! :D**_  
><em>


	5. Misfortune's Town

**I want to thank my amazing reviewer (Who didn't sign in, tear tear!) spoonz! You rock my socks. And I looked Gaspard Ulliel. You are SO RIGHT! :D :D :D (Made me a very happy camper.) **  
><strong>Anyway, if you like the story, I invite you to review! (I love your review spoonz, very in depth, helps me strive for better writing skills!)<strong>  
><strong>Enjoy the happy story children! :3<strong>  
><strong>Fable, Reaver, Bloodstone, etc. (c) Lionhead<strong>  
><strong>Rosie (c) Moi! :D<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Where I can run, as fast as I can, <em>  
><em>To the middle of nowhere, <em>  
><em>To the middle of my frustrated fears, <em>  
><em>And I swear, you're just like a pill, <em>  
><em>Instead of making me better, <em>  
><em>You keep making me ill.<em>

* * *

><p>I opened my eyes and groaned, the sunlight streaming in through the giant bay windows. Reaver was already up and dressed, his shadow keeping the sun out of my eyes and I could see through blurry eyes that he was shrugging on his red jacket and a jolt of guilt shot its way through my gut. I groaned, rolled over and caught his attention. He turned to me and gave me that cocky little smile that Nate gave me the first time we had slept together. It made me extremely sick.<p>

"The princess awakens from her slumber," Reaver purred and then finished snapping the last clasp into place.

"I can't believe I did that," I mumbled, trying to stave off a slight headache that was starting to blossom. I always had been a lightweight.

"You can't believe you slept with the most desired creature in all of Albion?" Reaver translated and I shot him a glare.

"No, I can't believe after two drinks I actually succumbed to your stupid pick-up lines," I said and reached for the shirt that Reaver had given me.

"If I remember correctly, you were screaming my name as soon as…"

I held up a hand, "I remember that rather well what happened and I don't need reminding." As much as I hated to say it, he HAD got me going rather loudly. I closed my eyes as another wave of shame hit me like a brick wall. "I can't believe I did that." I repeated and suddenly, Reaver's hand had cupped my chin, forcing me to look up at him.

"You needed it," He said before placing a forceful kiss on her lips, leaving her words, "We will be arriving in Bloodstone in about a half an hour. You may stay in here until then and then I will make the announcement that I am having a party this evening." He turned back to sit down at his desk, murmuring to himself. "I must invite that one chap who owns the brothel…and I must see to the food and drink for this evening's festivities…"

His eyes snapped up and landed almost hungrily on me, "And then of course there's the issue of getting you a dress, my dear…"

"Me? A dress?" I asked in a disbelieving voice, "I don't do parties. I have the worst social manners ever."

He chuckled darkly and then sipped the golden goblet before sitting down and throwing his feet up on his desk. "It doesn't matter about social manners. It only matters how much fun you have. I'll give you some money and you can visit the tailor and the stylist…You must do something about your hair."

I gingerly held one dark brown curl between my thumb and forefinger and let it drop. "What's wrong with my hair?"

"My dear, I've seen better hair on a dog. You need to do something with it." A soft knock made me pull the covers up even farther on my body. Reaver glanced to the door and then, with a hand sliding obsessively over the handle of his gun, walked over the polished wood and wrenched the door open. "Can I help you?" He asked icily and a small young man began stammering ever so slightly.

"C-Captain, the h-helmsman says that w-we will be in B-Bloods-stone sooner than expected. The w-wind is in our favor."

"So I see," Reaver mused and suddenly, he turned back to me and a smirk played across his handsome features. "If you wish to see where we will be, come over to the window. We will be able to see my home in a few moments."

I grabbed my shirt and trousers and quickly dressed under the covers. I still felt guilty about everything that happened and even if he had totally used his good looks and charms, I still could feel bad about it without feeling guilty about feeling guilty.

I was finishing up with my shirt when I finally came to the window where Reaver was standing. Now, I finally got the height difference between us. I only came up to about the bottom of his chin and even then, he was far broader than me. I wasn't considered a giant nor was I considered a wisp. I was extremely average, to put it gently. I watched out the window and watched as we docked with a jolt that rocked the ship and its only female passenger, but the captain stayed as still as a statue. An actual smile graced his lips and then he turned on his heel to go and give his crew directions, leaving me to pull on my boots and follow him out of the cabin, ignoring Delaney's icy glares.

"Jenkins, grab that rope! Isanguard, help Mr. Delaney lower the anchor! Peters, get the gangplank lowered!" Reaver barked out orders faster than I could follow them and finally, with a thud, everything ceased as the gangplank was lowered and sailors clambered around to get off the ship. I didn't see Reaver but knew I had left my bikini on the floor of his cabin and sort of wanted it for underwear before I got off the ship.

I ran back inside and pulled on the tops and bottoms before throwing the clothes back on. I was about to run back out onto the deck when I heard, with horror, Reaver and Delaney talking.

"I'm guessing she fell for the act?" I heard Delaney ask and Reaver chuckled softly.

"She fell rather hard for it and I want to thank you, Mr. Delaney. We will speak more about it at the party this evening. I really must be getting ready for tomorrow's journey but it won't be easy to…"

A sudden crash interrupted their conversation and I heard Reaver's pistol killing some unfortunate sailor who had dropped obviously something important. I heard his body drop as Reaver and Delaney moved away to talk somewhere else.

My stomach was twisting as if I had swallowed live snakes. Chewing on my lip, I hurried from the cabin and down the gangplank, looking for a familiar face in the crowd. Even if it was Reaver, I would rather stay with him and his disgusting behaviors than not have anyone at all. Suddenly, I bumped shoulders with the young man who had been at Reaver's door that morning.

"Good morning Miss McPherson, and what a good morning it is!" He said brightly and I nodded slowly.

"Yeah…great morning…" I said, thinking about what I had just heard. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together but it didn't seem possible…I prayed that it wasn't true…

"I have been instructed to take you up to Reaver's mansion and show you around Bloodstone so that you can get a dress for this evening's masquerade. The word's already been sent out and the guest list is stretching rather far. He also has money up at his mansion for you." He added when he saw my distracted expression, "Come on, it's right up the street."

We began to move our way through the crowd and I could finally see Bloodstone for what it really was. It was disgusting with whores and drunks lurking around every corner. I was propositioned for a good time more than once by both sexes and drunks lunged out at me more than once. The young man laughed good naturedly as we moved up the street and crossed through a fence.

The house was immense and it looked old and dark. "The servants were called up earlier, so they'll give you some money and then I'll take you to the tailor's." He explained as we walked up to the door and he knocked on it. An older man bowed to us and then smiled graciously at me.

"You must me Miss McPherson. Welcome to Reaver's Manor," He said in a prim English accent and I nodded back, in awe that I hadn't heard one American accent since I got here. I shook it off as he handed me a rather heavy bag. "This will cover anything you wish to purchase."

"T-thanks," I stuttered as he nodded and bowed and then the young sailor and I were walking again.

"So, the tailor's is in that general direction. And this is a masquerade so I'm sure you'll want a mask as well." He chuckled at the little joke as we walked down another side street, teeming with society's qualms.

The door was open and we walked in to see a short little woman who scowled at us as we entered.

"You here for Reaver's party too?" She grumped and then clomped to the back room to grab something. When she returned, she had a measuring tape and several dresses in varying shades of orange, purple, and blue. "Now let me see here…" She mumbled as she glared at me, "Stick out your arms, girl!" She snapped and I quickly did so as she took several measurements. "Just as I suspected. Let me see what I've got here…" She threw a dark orange dress at my head and I grabbed it with just a little bit of fumbling. "Try it on! I don't have all day!"

I did so and felt her lace up the black corset that went under the dress until I couldn't breathe. She took a step back and I had to look at my reflection in the mirror. I had worn orange dresses before, once for prom when I was eighteen and another at a wedding when I was 22 but neither of them compared to the detail and the work put into this dress. If I could have gasped, I would have.

The woman thought for a few moments and the made a face, "No. It's too puffy for your frame." That one came off in a whirlwind of fire colored material and black obsidian jewels. She then thrust a blue one at me which was apparently 'too low cut.'

After seven dresses, each one more beautiful than the last, just not beautiful on me, she pulled out a deep purple dress and handed it to me. It was no more amazing than any of the other dresses but as I slipped it on, I could tell that this was my dress.

The dress was supposed to be strapless but holding it to my arms were super sheer lacy sleeves. My breasts were smashed together, giving myself the maximum amount of cleavage but the heart shaped top helped give them all the extra help they needed. The dress clung to my every curve but the corset disguised the rather large pooch that had me convinced that I was supposed to be born a kangaroo. The dress than poufed out and was held together with a large silver brooch with pieces of rhinestone on it that held its many folds together and matched the rhinestones that decorated the bodice of the dress.

This was something one would have seen in an antique shop, not on her body! I looked at myself and grinned from ear to ear. This dress was the one I wanted more than any of them. I stepped out from behind the door of the changing room and the woman glared at me once more.

"Too…" She began to say but I held up a hand, silencing her words.

"No more," I said, "This is the one I want."

I counted out all the gold pieces I needed and handed them to the lady who finally smiled at me. "I thought that this might look pretty with the dress," She croaked and handed me a velvet case that when I opened, contained a pair of sparkling cubic zirconium earrings and a beautiful twisting necklace. "Now let me see about that mask…"

The costume turned out to be one of an orchid and the mask added to the dress perfectly. It was purple, like the dress, covered in black lace and ribbon that was held down with little rhinestone pieces.

"Now, let me get your grand total…" She plugged that all down on a piece of paper and then smiled at me, but this time, it was wickedly.

I left the shop with the bag of gold considerably lighter and my dress and accessories, including a pair of silver shoes that resembled heels, and found the young man ready to take me to the beautician.

"Come on, you spent too much time at the tailor's!" He exclaimed as we hurried through the streets and came to another shop, "He'll help you with whatever you need," He said as I crossed the threshold and handed the young man the dress, "I'll take this back to the manor and you just get everything you need!" He was gone without another word.

The stylist, an obviously gay man named Gregory, quickly picked out a palate of makeup that he said would "accentuate my high cheekbones and highlight my lush lips," and set me down in a chair where he began to roll my hair up in curlers while he talked about some silly man who had invited him to dinner but they ended up going to watch the sunset over the ocean instead.

I didn't really care about this but as soon as my hair was all up and my gold was distributed, I hurried back along the path, heeding Gregory's words about not letting my hair out of its confinement until an hour before the party, (which he would indeed be going to.)

As I ran, I saw that stores were closing early and women stood together in clumps, gossiping about everything from men to dresses. I hurried past them and finally, I ran up to Reaver's front door where the butler answered and arched an eyebrow at my sweaty form. "Miss McPherson, we were expecting you back later. No matter. Please go upstairs and take off those clothes. I believe that Lydia is running a bath for you right now."

I nodded and slowly, avoiding people who were setting up for the masquerade, hurried up to where I figured the bedrooms where. I guessed right and found the slight maid who was indeed running a bath as the butler had promised.

"I put out some lotion and perfume Master Reaver keeps for this other female guests," She said and left the room as I began to undress.

I almost whimpered when I hit the water. When I had gotten clean on the ship, I had used cold water, gritty soap and a foul and disgusting towel to dry off with. Reaver had spared no expenses for his guests, as I could see. There were even things that resembled razors which, after a few nicks and cuts, I got the hang of.

Soon, much too soon, I got out of the tub and wrapped the fuzzy towel around my body and looked at my hair. Gregory had pulled them in so tightly, only a few shorter hairs stuck out. I smiled at my reflection and grabbed the least erotic smelling potion and began rubbing myself down with it until, I realized that what I was rubbing myself down in, gave off an unearthly glow that made my skin look like it had been dipped in molten gold.

"Cool beans," I whispered as I put down the bottle and noticed the dress hanging off of the door along with my other purchases from the stylists. Gingerly, I grabbed the makeup palate and began to dab on the foundation that had been a complementary gift from Gregory and I began to put on my face.

When I looked back after applying the last touch, I couldn't recognize myself. For the first time in three days, I actually felt…confident! I grinned at my reflection and then found something that looked quite a bit like a toothbrush which I promptly stuck in my mouth.

Then came the hard part, the dress.

Lydia was in the bathroom with me, trying to help me lace up the corset and finally succeeding before we went onto the dress. She slipped it over my head, trying not to disrupt the curls and finally, after all that, we began to take out my curlers.

Dark, shiny curls cascaded down my shoulders and graced my breastbone and Lydia pinned half of them back with bobby pins and let the other half hang down, framing my perfect face.

"The final touch, Miss," She said softly, handing me the mask. I put it on my face and took a look at myself in the mirror. I looked almost unreal. Never in my life could I imagine something as amazing as this moment.

"You look beautiful, Miss," Lydia said in a hushed voice and I turned to her before she curtsied and smiled at me, "I must be off to go get ready for the party but I will see you there." With that, she turned out of the room and left me alone with my thoughts for an hour.

The hour passed slowly and finally, after trying to fix a hair that wouldn't stay in place, Lydia, in a dress of gold, came back for me and nodded. It was time for the party.

I took shaky steps down towards the low buzz of party goers and music and found myself being stared at by many of the guests. I blushed and hurried to find a place where the people couldn't look at me without having to crane their necks. I had never been one for parties and even in this environment where nobody knew who I was and I was in a mask, I still felt vulnerable, as if I wasn't careful, someone would come and sweep me off my feet.

Ahem…REAVER…Ahem.

So, anyway, I was sitting on the couch, minding my own business when all of the sudden, something caught my eye. It was hard not to spot Delaney in a dapper suit of dark green holding hands with an extremely beautiful woman in a dress that resembled a swan. They looked at each other with so much love and desire, my stomach contorted. So…my suspicions were true…Reaver had been using him to get to me this whole time. Oh of all the dirty, foul rotten…The list could go on.

I stood up and looked around to see where Reaver was and figured he was being swarmed by all the beautiful women in the corner. I hoisted up my skirt and with a determined step, I marched through the crowds, earning me glares from the couples kissing and doing other things on the dance floor. Stray hands were sneaking up skirts and hands were following their partner's rather well. I rolled my eyes and hurried past those who were drunk, drinking or those who already had passed out from the consumption of alcohol.

I now realized what this was. This was a place for sins to run rampant and somewhere I preferred not to be. Finally, I pushed my way through a pair of voluptuous women playing tonsil hockey with each other and I made my way over to Reaver, who was talking to a group of enraptured young men and women.

"I picked her up straight out of the ocean, just like a fish and she couldn't keep her hands…ah, here's my little mermaid now!" Reaver grinned at me from under a mask of gold and green and I didn't care what would happen, I walked up to him and attempted to slap him. Unfortunately, he had the reflexes of a cat and caught my hand before I could strike him.

"You…bastard!" I spat angrily and he chuckled, obviously amused, "You two timing man whore! You PAID Delaney to get me to care about him and I SLEPT with you!"

"You are observant, my dear," Reaver's voice seemed to be teasing but I could hear the ice laced in his words; "By the way, you look ravishing in purple."

I pulled my hand out of his vice-like grip and glared at him from behind the mask. "Do you think I care?" I snapped and turned on my heel to walk away. Reaver didn't stop me.

I stormed over to the makeshift bar and glared at the bartender, "Give me whatever you have that's strongest!" I demanded and the bartender just looked at the other patrons and then poured me something out of a clear glass bottle and garnished it with lemon. I took the drink and drank it all, enjoying the way it burned as it went down. I knew I didn't want to get drunk so I turned away and marched back to where I had been before, trying to hide my tears. I sat down and watched Delaney kiss the woman in the swan dress. That must have been his girlfriend or wife. How could he betray me like that? I wanted to shoot him in the head and then send a bullet through Swan's brain too. I watched the other guests get drunker and wilder and watched people actually having sex on the dance floor that gave a whole new term to "freaking" I ignored them all until a man in a dapper grey suit wearing a falcon's mask walked over to me.

"You seem to be the only woman in this place who's not drunk out of her mind or a wench. Would you care to dance with me?"

"Just promise you won't take advantage of me and I will say yes," I said softly and he smiled gently at me.

"I promise," He said and helped me to my feet. "What is a girl like you doing in Bloodstone?" He asked and I laughed.

"That's a long story and one I'd rather not repeat. It's far too delicate of a subject." I told him as we twirled around the incoherent party goers and whores who were providing far more enjoyable services on couch cushions. "What is someone like you, someone who isn't a total pervert, end up in Bloodstone?"

He laughed softly and looked down at me. "Well…that is also a long story. I once owned a rather handsome merchant vessel but during a storm, it sank and my crew was lost. I was picked up by a pirate and he dropped me off here. I became a carpenter and that's what I've been doing ever since."

"That's a short story," I pointed out and he laughed again.

"Well…that was condensed version."

The man, whose name I found out was Nathaniel, and I danced throughout the night until Reaver announced he was going to bed. In his arms were three voluptuous women, two who had been kissing, and the third, a brunette, plus two young men who were grinning like loons.

"That is my signal to go, Rosie," He said and kissed my hand, "I hope to see you again in the near future."

"You too," I said, relishing that a man hadn't used me or bruised me but just danced and talked with me. Finally, as the crowds began to thin, did I allow myself to indulge in a glass of wine and talk to people. The wine gave me a bit of an edge but I met several interesting people (A group of scholars who had been documenting plants in the swamp bordering Bloodstone called Wraithmarsh) whom I talked with until the clock struck two in the morning and I bade the group goodbye. Finally, I allowed myself to flop down onto one of the extra beds that Reaver had in his mansion and tried to ignore the screaming that was going on next door by humming an old song I had heard long ago from my mother.

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><p><strong>So, this is it! If you enjoyed, please give the happy little button down thar a little lovin' by reviewing! :) Thanks for reading! <strong>  
><strong>Song: Just Like a Pill-P!ink (I do not own the song!)<strong>


	6. Deadly Dealings

**Yes, yes, another review for all the good little boys n' girls. This one's a bit shorter than the others have been but nonetheless exciting and HOPEFULLY somewhat original? I haven't seen this idea before in a fanfic for Fable so maybe I'll start a new trend hahahaha. XD**  
><strong>Anyway, I'm off to bed cause I'm exhausted from shopping and running all over the place. I'm not ready for school to start but I'll try to update whatever I can on all my stories before school starts. :3<strong>

**Rosie (c) Me**  
><strong>Reaver, Fable, Albion (c) Lionhead<strong>

* * *

><p><em>"Gotta deal with the devil<em>  
><em>'cause you know that it's real<em>  
><em>Done a deal with the devil<em>  
><em>From a heart made of steel..."<em>

* * *

><p>"Rosie…ROSIE!" Someone was shaking me out of an extremely deep sleep and I slowly opened my eyes to see the young man that had taken me around Bloodstone shaking my shoulder. The dress had been discarded in a puddle of plum hues and silver and I groaned and rolled back over in bed. "C'mon, Miss McPherson, it's time to get out of bed," he nudged me again and I opened my eyes once again. It wasn't even light out. I stretched and my fingers grazed the red candle that sent the shadows dancing a quick, jaunty waltz.<p>

"But it's not time to get up," I mumbled and I heard him sigh.

"Yes, but we must go now! I have your clothes here and you must get dressed and your breakfast…"

"I said not now, kid!"

"But Master Reaver expects you to be downstairs in a few minutes!"

At this point, I shot up out of bed and looked at him like he had lobsters coming out of his ears, "There is no way on Earth, Heaven, nor in Hell I would ever go within ten feet of that guy! I'm not going!"

"Oh I believe you are," Came the voice I did not want to hear and I felt the cold unforgiving weapon on the back of my head, "You're coming with me whether you like it or not and I don't want to hear anything else about it from you."

My stomach dropped to my shoes as I slowly got out of bed, knowing that I was defeated, "Fine," I said softly, "Get out and I'll get dressed and then we'll go wherever your heart desires…oh wait, I forgot. You don't have a heart."

"Such strong words from such a tender girl," His smirk was like a slap in the darkness. I turned away from him and I felt his gloved hand caress my arm gently, daring me to say one more thing. "We'll go but I'll be back for you in five minutes, you understand?"

"Yes," I whispered, trying to keep the tears from my eyes.

"All the windows are locked so if I even hear you jiggling those handles, I'll barge in here and blow a hole straight through your cranium." He threatened and I hated myself for being as weak as I was.

He and the young man exited the room and left the pile of clothes sitting on the dresser. Inside, was a pair of bloomers, a corset, a long brown dress and a pair of leather boots that seemed impractical but when I pulled them on, were rather comfortable. I wondered where we were going and finally, after several moments, I pulled back my hair from my face with the hair tie around my wrist and allowed my frizzy hair to fall over my shoulders. I still had makeup under my eyes and the dress made me look seventeen years older than I really was.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door and I opened it only to find my hands suddenly captured into a pair of handcuffs and a rope that Reaver was holding. I let out an indignant cry and Reaver's sly face was the only thing I could see.

"Wear this," He instructed as he wrapped a brown cloak around my shoulders and then draped the hood over my head, "We don't have time for breakfast."

He pulled me along and I could see the rest of his motley crew, including my one true love, Delaney who was looking up at me with an expression that resembled Reaver's. Gag. Barf. I wished somebody would just shoot me in the head here and now so I wouldn't have to deal with these fake bastards.

We emerged into the misty morning and I could hear the low cries of a foghorn and the piercing screams of the gulls, encircling the docks, waiting for their breakfasts. Bloodstone was asleep and Reaver's crew marched across the damp cobblestones to an unknown location, my feet still heavy with sleep, trying to keep up with the mechanical footsteps of the men.

We finally began climbing up a hill that looked out over the sea and I had a rather bad feeling in my gut that I would probably never see that ocean again.

The crew walked through a graveyard and the ground sloped downwards, causing me to tumble and slip on an elevated stone. Without hands to catch myself, I tumbled to the ground and the skin on my palms burst open and bright red blood blossomed from the scrapes.

"Get up you silly girl," Reaver said, pulling my arms so hard that I cried out once again. "We need to continue on!"

I bit my lip and tried to keep my screams from echoing off the crumbling granite and bodies of the dead. I stood back up and with all the hate I could muster, I flipped him off and he just laughed and pulled me forward into a deep dark hole that I couldn't see the end of.

"Welcome," He said in a snarky voice, "To Wraithmarsh."

There wasn't really much to look at unless you were into rain, marshes, and old tombs, all which were not my cup of tea but didn't seem to bother Reaver and his crew. We plodded on until we passed an old waterlogged town the sea had choked with its salty waves. Now, it looked to be more of a swampy area with a few old boards jutting out of its surface than a town.

"Oakvale," One of the sailors whispered behind me before making a sign like he was crossing himself. Now, I didn't know exactly what an Oakvale was but from what I could tell, it wasn't a good thing. Reaver's expression shifted slightly as he glanced at the ruined remains of the village. His expression was almost pained…like he was remembering something out of a dream. Suddenly, his eyes flicked towards the drowned village and he tugged my confines to make my move faster.

"Hurry up," He snapped, a very uncharacteristic thing for him to do, but obviously the marsh was messing with him too. What had befallen this little hamlet? Had it been built too close to the marsh or had something else happened to it?

We began to climb again, my calves burning from the steep incline until we finally came to an old rotten, burned, disgusting, fragile covered bridge. I stopped along with the rest of the group and then made a face.

"Oh halibut no…" I began, "I am NOT going over that bridge!"

The gun was again pointed in my face, a rather frequent phenomenon and I felt my stomach twist again, "Then again, if you think it's safe, I do say, let's be off!" The crew, with their torches and guns started walking over the bridge, not acknowledging the fact that the bridge was screaming under their weight. I took a tentative step and heard it creak precariously. I wasn't absolutely sure if this was safe but since Reaver was already walking into the gloomy darkness, I had no choice but to follow him. But then I heard a noise unlike anything I had ever fill my ears and I fell to the ground, trying to drown out the whispers in my head.

_"He never wanted you! You were always the ugly one!"_

_"You never had a chance with him, all he wanted was casual sex but you were too dense, too stupid to know any better, you naive girl!"_

_"You are nothing but a FOOL! A FOOL!"_

"Shut up! SHUT UP!" I screamed at no one in particular because these voices were literally ripping out my heart. It felt like my every secret was out there for everyone to see, my every weakness and vulnerability had been torn out of my soul. However, when I opened my eyes, I could see the other men wincing and falling to the ground, moaning and covering their ears.

Reaver, however had his eyes trained farther into the fog and he held his head up with so much dignity that I believed he wasn't being affected by the voices, however, I could see the pain of a man behind his dark eyes. Suddenly, he had his gun out of its holster and was shooting into the fog that surrounded us unexpectedly. I saw the creatures before I saw their master. Three small shadowy figures with swords with red eyes were slicing the fallen men wherever they could reach, some finding blows in the men's necks, silencing their screams.

Reaver pulled me back up onto my feet and swung me around behind him.

"I can't have my package getting ruined before it reaches the proper caretakers," he said in a strained voice as he shot the creatures one by one. Finally, I could see what was causing the mist and the voices in my head. A woman in a red dress with her hood over her face was floating five feet off the marsh's surface. At first I thought it might be Theresa but then I realized that we weren't so lucky. The thing was a nightmare creature, a thing that I had only imagined. When it screamed, my fears were confirmed.

We were dealing with a banshee.

"No need to fear, my dear," Reaver was obviously trying to keep his cool but I could see all the color drain out of his face as the creature turned to Reaver and looked at him from underneath her hood.

_"You abandoned your village…your friends and even your lover for your selfishness. You watched as it burned to the ground and stood by as they killed her…"_

Reaver gritted his teeth and fired a single shot and the banshee reeled back, as if a large gale had found its way to her head. She screamed once and then faded back into the ground, leaving me on my knees and Reaver clutching the gun so hard that his glove's knuckles turned white. I could feel his body shaking and I turned my eyes towards the carnage of men. Most of them were still alive; including Delaney but the young man who had helped me get all my things together the night before was dead, stabbed multiple times by one of the creatures' obviously sharp blades.

"What the…" I began but my breath left me as something rather blunt and heavy collided with my head, and all I could see was stars, then the muddy ground, and then…nothing.

* * *

><p>In the long run, Reaver's plan was ingenious. He couldn't take me anywhere else without me beginning to ask questions, about what the banshee had been talking about or even where we were going and had hit me in the back of the head with his gun. Although I wasn't pleased to learn I had been knocked out, the plan was clever.<p>

When I next awoke, I was lying on a cold floor and my head felt like it had been split open with a jackhammer. The lights that danced in front of my eyes sparkled like a thousand diamonds and I groaned as I sat up, moving my hand. However, my hand collided with something somewhat spiky that was even colder than the floor. It was a round disc that was about twice the width of my hand. I picked it up to inspect it more when the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and my head turned up to see three coffins decorated in human remains slowly creak open and three misty shapes appeared that seemed to be remotely human. Each one had coal red eyes and I backed up considerably until my back was against a wall. I tried to search for a door but found no handle.

_"Welcome..."_ The middle one whispered, _"Welcome. You carry the seal. The bargain has been fulfilled once again by Reaver and to that we are grateful...let the transaction BEGIN!"_

Suddenly, a tingling feeling filled my whole body and I tried to drop the seal but I couldn't do it! I felt my will being drained away and my head drooped forward onto my knees as I felt everything being sapped.

Everything now fell into place. He could have killed me a million times over but he needed me. I didn't know about him bringing sacrifices for some unknown reason and so I was perfect candidate to become a sacrifice.

So…this was it. My last dying breath was going to be in this stupid place being a stupid sacrifice for a stupid guy whom I hated with all my being. I swore that when I became a ghost, I would come back and kick Reaver's ass from Albion to Maine…

Then, once again, my head snapped up, filled with a new energy. What if…No, it was impossible! But what if I could make the same bargain but use Reaver as my sacrifice?

The energy died away as if the creatures were surprised to find what was bouncing around in my head.

"_What's this…?"_ They asked, watching my facial expressions.

_"She wishes to turn another's life in for her own…"_

_"You cannot have Reaver, he is under our warrant. HOWEVER…I sense something else there…She wants revenge on this land…"_

_"Perhaps we can help her obtain that revenge. She is so full of potential and our gift could bring her much happiness…"_

_"Enough,"_ This must have been the leading one, _"She has proven herself to be cunning and resourceful, willing to give up others' lives to ensure her own survival. There is much darkness in that heart. We must bring it out."_

The seal clattered to the floor and I keeled forward, clasping my throat. When I looked back up, I saw a yellowed parchment piece of paper floating in front of me with a black feather pen floating unstably next to it. I stood up on shaky legs and took the pen.

Now, I wasn't an evil person, but I did like the idea of a bit of revenge, Rosie style and the more I thought about it the more reasons I thought of the perks of getting payback and this gift…what was it?

I turned my heads to the look at the shadows. "What is this…gift?"

The silence that greeted my question left me fearful but when they answered, this time in one voice in unison, I knew I desired what they could provide.

_"Eternal life is our gift."_

Shivers went up my spine as I heard this. Be immortal…become something I read about in books and become something that would stay around forever and ever…Suddenly, everything snapped into place. Eternal life came at a price, it always did and this sacrifice was for Reaver to stay young forever!

_"Very good, Rosalind McPherson…it takes many people far longer to know what has happened to them…You are clever for one so frightened."_

He gestured to the paper and with a trembling hand; I placed the tip of the pen on the parchment then hesitated.

"Don't I need like, ink or something?" I asked and I heard the leader chuckle.

_"You will not need ink Rosalind."_

I hated my name. It was…to put it gently, an old fashioned grandma name that cats had. I winced when he said it but shrugged it off and began to sign my name. A crimson ink was left in the wake of the feather quill and I gasped as I felt something sharp come into contact with my right hand. Then it was like the fifth Harry Potter all over again. My signature was going into the back of my hand but the pen was almost moving on its own accord and when I was done, there was a name that I had never seen before shining in the candlelight.

Rosie Sharpp.

The breath was gone from my lungs before I could register the name of a stranger and I was on my hands and knees again, trying to regain my breath before I heard them speak once again.

_"WE REQUIRE ONE SACRIFICE EVERY YEAR OF A YOUTH. YOU WILL SEND THEM WITH YOUR SEAL AND WE WILL STEAL THEIR BEAUTY AWAY."_ The voice was loud, unlike I had first heard and I felt something inside of me being devoured, as if I was getting eaten from the inside out by little tiny worms. I tried in vain to take a breath but I couldn't do it. I just couldn't take that breath that would save my life and before I could even register my soul, the essence that made me up, my lifeblood was now separated from my body, my world again careened into the black abyss of my subconscious mind.

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><p><strong>Wow. I'm tired. XD Please review or if you add me to your story alert, I would love to know what you're liking or disliking about the story. :) (I love you spoonz! You're amazing! :D)<strong>  
><strong>I don't own the song but I'm too tired to figure out who the heck it is. XD<strong>  
><strong>Tatty bye m'loves!<strong>

**Hannah**


	7. Nice Girls Get Kidnapped

**Blargh...My head hurts, it's 12:30 at night and I'M READY FOR SLEEPY POO! But, I thought I would end off my summer by updating my favorite story of the summer. (And the one that got the least reviews, tear tear!) But that's okay, I don't mind. :) Just as long as you guys are liking it, I'll keep writing! **  
><strong>A special thanks to all those who have reviewed and are planning on reviewing! Let me name a few...<strong>  
><strong>Of course, spoonz, love you!<br>Kelsthereade, athos-aramis, EmiChan599, PeacefullyCrazy, Ereneviana ,LizzieR97, you guys are all amazing too! I just wanna say thanks to all those who added this into your favorites and your story alerts. You guys rock my socks. :)**

**Anyway...ONTO THE STORY! **  
><strong>Reaver, Albion (c) Lionhead<strong>  
><strong>Rosie, story (c) Yours truly! ^^<strong>

* * *

><p><em>"Take me, I'm alive<em>  
><em> Never was a girl with a wicked mind<em>  
><em> But everything looks better<em>  
><em> When the sun goes down..."<em>

* * *

><p>When I finally awoke, I was lying on the stone floor, my cheek pressed against a rather uncomfortable crack and I groaned and sat up, my head spinning. Something didn't feel right in my gut, as if I could go out and take on an army but right now, the only army I was concerned about was Reaver and his men but I had a strength I had never felt…ever. I stood up but stopped as my foot stepped on something small. I bent down and picked it up only to find a handsome silver chain with a pendant hanging down off of it. It was tiny but the details were amazing and I could tell somebody put a lot of time and effort into this. I knew instantly that this was my "seal" and so I wrapped the silver around my neck and touched the pendant once more. It was cold and even being against my body didn't seem to make it warm up. Goose bumps erupted on my chest and I wrapped the cloak around my body to keep from shivering.<p>

Then I saw the door and was not expecting what would happen next. When I finally pulled open the giant stone thing using all my strength to squeeze through the door, I was astonished to find myself looking down the barrel of a rather nasty looking gun.

"Is there any possibility," Came a drawling voice, "that you might have anything to do with the demise of my crew?"

I peered out behind the gun and my eyes widened when I saw Reaver's crew laying on the ground each one had a different wound. My eyes landed on Delaney's once handsome face and saw it was completely ripped off. I almost vomited there and then but I was able to keep my stomach down.

"I obviously underestimated you," Reaver continued as he watched my every move, "I should have expected this one day but not now. You were far too stupid…"

I didn't say anything but continued to scoot my way along the wall, trying to get away from Reaver's gun. He glanced at me and my eyes widened as he smiled at me in an almost loving fashion. Thumbing back the hammer, he watched me and from point blank, he fired the deadly weapon right into my heart.

As the ringing left my ears and the smoke left my eyes, the first thing I noticed was that I was not dead and that the bullet had ricocheted off my necklace and was left at Reaver's feet, still smoking. His expression was one of shock, anger and admiration.

"She's under our protection now, Pirate Lord," Voices whispered all around us and Reaver narrowed his eyes at me and scowled, "You cannot harm her here."

Reaver stood stark still as he watched the pendant around my neck and finally his eyes flicked up to mine and I could see they held the fury and madness that only a man cheated out of a prize could possess.

"Get out of here," He whispered, "Get out."

I didn't need to be told twice. It only took me about five seconds to follow the stairs down to the main part of the temple and then I ran out, trying to look for an escape route. The pendant grew warm against my skin, reminding me that I had given up on everything, including my soul. I stumbled blindly through the swamp, ignoring the brambles that snagged at my dress and cloak. Tears soaked my face and stormed through, trying to find my way out and only finding myself hopelessly lost inside a graveyard. Finally, my strength left me and I fell at the feet of a stone angel whose own face was an array of moss and discolored stone.

"What's happened to me?" I whispered and touched the outstretched arms of the angel, praying that it would take me away from all this suffering. Suddenly, I heard a footstep on the stone ground and my head whipped up to see a tall woman with a kind face placing a white rose onto the grave stone and then turned to see me and smiled at me.

"Hello child," She said in a soft voice and held out her hand, "What are you doing out here by yourself? I come only to visit the grave of my eldest ancestors. However, you do not seem like the type to be visiting your long dead relative."

"I…uh…" For once in my life, I was speechless. The woman was actually being nice to me, a rather nice contrast from Reaver.

"Come," She said and held out her hand even farther, "I will take you back to Bloodstone and I will let you stay with me tonight."

"Thank you," I said as I wiped my nose and took her hand, "I haven't had a quiet moment yet and that's exactly what I need."

She laughed as she took my arm and we began walking in the opposite direction of the Shadow Court. "It's never a dull day in Bloodstone," She said and then looked at me and my puffy eyes, "What did you say your name was my dear?"

"I didn't but its Rosie," I said and she gave my arm a squeeze and smiled at me.

"My names is Joyce and I own a small brothel in Bloodstone," She told me, "I come out here sometimes to place flowers on my ancestor's grave but usually I never meet anyone else," She said softly and my heart dropped to my shoes. She would probably want me to walk the streets for money in order for me to earn my keep. No. Thank. YOU. I would sleep in the streets if I had to! I had enough sex and booze to last me the rest of my life.

"Oh I don't…erm…sell myself…" I began to say but she quickly shushed me.

"Don't worry," Joyce said in her soft voice that reminded me of melted butter on velvet, "You can stay with me in my house. I only own the brothel; I don't let my guests work there. I can tell you're a girl of integrity."

I wanted to tell her that that wasn't exactly true and that I had been snared by Reaver but she probably knew the bloody pirate bastard rather well from all the business he gave the brothels.

She laughed again and quickened her pace. "So what part of Albion are you from Rosie?" She asked as we walked along the overgrown path that led out of the graveyard.

"Well…" I began, choosing my words carefully, "I'm not really from Albion, you see. I'm from a place called Maine but before that I lived in a place called Oregon. I moved to Maine when I was 19…"

Yes, I told her my whole life's story but I didn't care. She listened to my every word and asked questions in the appropriate places. I could tell she was actually interested unlike Reaver or Delaney. When I got to the part about Nate, she shook her head sadly.

"I'm sorry this happened to you," She apologized, "But that doesn't mean you're the guilty one. It just means that you are naïve and sometimes that's a good thing, however sometimes you have to get past the thought that everyone is good."

I told her the rest of the story and even about Theresa which she found remotely interesting but quickly laughed when I told her that Reaver and I had slept together.

"My dear, you do not know Master Reaver very long without realizing he has an unnatural obsession with human anatomy," She laughed again and then fell silent, "I think most of my girls have provided him…ah…companionship."

I made a face and Joyce looked at me with her strange looking eyes. They were almost silver and reflected the fog, making it look like she had no pupils. I shivered slightly but if Joyce had felt it, she said nothing. "He is a valuable customer, when he comes back to Albion. However," She touched the brooch that held her own far nicer cloak than my own to her neck, "However, whenever he comes back, it seems like a few of my girls go missing. Whether it's madness or sickness, it never fails. He takes them into Wraithmarsh and they're never seen again."

"But don't you question that?" I asked and she scoffed softly.

"I've learned never to question Reaver, my dear. I've seen firsthand what that does and it doesn't do anyone any good, really, my father included."

I glanced at her and I could see the hurt etched on her face, "Reaver killed your…"

"Shot him right in front of me and my brother," She snapped, "And then walked away, knowing he had just destroyed two children's lives, not even caring."

We were silent for a few more moments as we walked through the final part of the graveyard. However, the silence was interrupted when several blue wisps flew over their heads and buried themselves in graves that decorated the surround area.

"Ah dammit," Joyce muttered as the undead crawled out of the ground and began to surround us, their rusty blades clanking together as they moved closer and closer to us. She reached under her dress and tossed me a pistol that was cold and heavy in my hands.

"Quick," She snapped as she drew her own pistol, "we have to kill them."

"How the heck to we kill them? They're already dead!" I snapped and she rolled her eyes and pulled the trigger of her gun, blowing off the skull of a larger one.

"Just aim for the heads," She yelled as she took another one and so, with all my strength gone, I reached up and thumbed back the hammer as I had seen Reaver do. Then the next thing I knew…

BANG!

The creature on my right fell in a pile of bones and I quickly finished him off by shooting him three or four more times, enjoying the feeling of a pistol in my hands. I looked back up to see the rest of them were dead and Joyce putting her gun back in its holster.

"Well then, shall we?" She asked, tucking a stray hair behind her ear and then offering me her arm again. I took it without question and we made it into the sunlight of Bloodstone. It was midafternoon and the sun was shining on a perfectly normal day…If you could call Bloodstone normal. Thugs roamed the streets and prostitutes called out to men and women alike and several were in fights over territories and such.

"Come along," She said, pulling me down the hill, "We can get something to eat at the tavern and then I'll take you back to my house. It's right along the waterfront you see," She explained as we went down the street and stepped into the dim, booze smelling establishment. Nobody took notice of us as we sat down at a table and ordered some food and ale. Neither of us spoke as we ate, me being a bit quicker because of my hunger and finally, I leaned back, my head now a considerable bit heavier with drink and food and I felt my fatigue getting the best of me.

"Let us go to my house," Joyce said when she saw me almost drift off in my food, "You can take a nap there and then we can discuss about what you can do to get home."

My head snapped up at that word, "You'll try and get me home?"

She smiled at me and nodded, "I can try my best but I can't guarantee anything," She warned and I nodded so hard I was afraid I might have given myself whiplash. She laughed again and threw several gold coins on the table to pay for the meal. We strolled out of the pub and down the promenade towards the grand looking ships.

"Hey, I thought we were going to your house," I mumbled, trying to keep my head from spinning. She glanced at me and suddenly, her grip became iron and my stomach fell to my feet. Something bad was going on. We continued to walk down the boulevard but now instead of being leisurely, it was quick and it had reason. Finally, we reached a ship quite a ways down the walk and a large man came towards us.

"What took you, Joyce?" He snapped glancing at me, "We thought maybe you had chickened out on us again."

"Do I ever chicken out?" She snapped and threw me forward, "Here's one I found wandering the marshes. How she got out there I have no idea but she seems pretty stupid. She'll sell for a pretty good price…"

"How much you want for her?" He demanded and Joyce looked at me as if I was a piece of meat she was judging at a fair.

"She's not a virgin, she told me herself but she's in good shape and she's alright to look at. She'll make a good scullery maid or whore." She cocked her head as the man reached out and grabbed my arm, wrapping his whole hand around my limb. She finally looked back up and sneered, "I want 15 thousand for the girl and another 5 grand for the last one I brought in."

"If I remember correctly, she was a whore from your house." The man snapped and Joyce narrowed her eyes.

"She was a good working girl. She cost me a lot of business and so if you're not going to give me the extra 5…" The gun was between his eyes before I could even blink and the man scowled.

"Thirteen years together and you still don't trust me." He pulled out a bag of what I assumed was money and threw it at her feet. "Twenty thousand pieces of gold for two girls…That's steep but…" He shook me and I cried in pain. "She'll sell for a good price."

Joyce nodded, slipped the money into her cloak and smiled bitterly at me. "I'm sorry my dear," She said sadly, "It's just good business, I assure you. I should probably tell you now that I moonlight at a Civilian Displacement Agent for Argus here."

"You…BITCH!" I spat and her eyes flicked up to Argus who nodded and then she kicked me in the stomach so hard I doubled over, all breath from my body gone.

"Like I said Rosie," She purred, "All good business," Suddenly, the gun was gone from my hip and it was back under her dress in a flash. She then smiled nastily at me, turned on her heel and marched away without another word.

"YOU…MOTHERLESS WHORE!" I screamed as Argus began to pull me up onto the gang plank. I kicked and fought like there was no tomorrow but unfortunately, we can't all be superhuman and before I knew it, I was being thrown down into the depths of a ship and my fall was broken only by soft bodies of other children and women. All of them looked scared and hungry and the place reeked of human waste and sickness. Most of them looked younger than me but a few looked older and those women were comforting the littlest children who only looked to be about five.

While the struggle had been going on, somebody had tied a rope around my wrists and when I sat up, I could see all the people had rope around their wrists. There was so much diversity in the people that it was hard to remember that I wasn't on earth anymore and the people stared in awe.

"What is this?" I asked and a little girl answered quickly.

"It's a slave ship," She explained, "They're taking us to Westcliff to be sold off as servants and prostitutes." The girl's accent sounded Northern African and she was very pretty. "What is your name?" She asked me and I smiled softly at her.

"My name is Rosie," I said and looked at an older girl, a little younger than me with a boy in her lap.

"I am Alorah and this is my sister and brother. We were ensnared in our home, Aurora." She explained, "I'm guessing that you were from somewhere in Albion. Perhaps Bowerstone?"

"It's…a long story from where I'm from," I said and curled up my legs underneath me, listening to the indistinct chatter of sailors on the deck, "I don't really want to talk about it."

Alorah nodded and then turned to her sister whom she said something to in a very rapid language. She turned back to me and pointed at my necklace. "You wear the symbol of the shadows. Have you made the deal with them?"

I knew someone would find me out eventually. I took a deep breath and finally responded with my most honest answer, "Yes. But to save my own life for the revenge of someone who hurt me rather badly."

"But revenge is bad," Alorah pointed out and I laughed a little bit as she looked back to her brother, "Our father sold us to a woman who said she could provide a better life for us," She said quietly and a tear fell from her right eye, "I want revenge on him but I know that is wrong."

I felt the ship beginning to move and we slowly began to move out of port, the gentle waves moving the vessel towards this…Westcliff.

Three days passed of horror and death. Many of the ship's passengers didn't make it and every day, several crew members came down to collect the bodies of those who had passed during the hot days and cold nights. They threw down bread and water every few hours and I hated to admit it, but since I was one of the bigger passengers, I was able to get my share of the fare. However, most of what I got went straight to Alorah, her sister and brother. Alorah told me that her brother was dying of a horrible disease and probably wouldn't even make it to Westcliff. Her older sister didn't understand English but Alorah had learned it from a traveler in Aurora when she was 8.

We became fast friends instantly and I tried to care for her and her siblings as best I could in the horrible conditions. We all curled up under my cloak during the nights and used it as a blanket for her little brother during the day in the hopes to break his fever. Then, on the fourth day, he didn't wake up and I shed my own tears for the little boy lost so far away from home. They took his body and dumped it overboard just like everyone else's and every day, Alorah and her sister would pray for a miracle.

On the fifth day, our salvation arrived that began my adventures through Albion and made me a legend.

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><p><strong>Ahhh...Another chapter...:3 *Marks it off to do list* <strong>  
><strong>Psst...if you wanna see some quicker updates, REVIEW! They motivate me and keep me going! <strong>  
><strong>PEACE! <strong>  
><strong>Hannah<strong>

Song: **Pretty Reckless: _"Make Me Wanna Die" (DO not own!)_**


	8. O Captain, My Captain

**I know I haven't updated in a week! Blargh! But only because of school and the musical and stuff. (Oh yes, I will not be updating AT ALL on the weekdays, just the weekends and I need to update like...3 stories not including this one! D:)**

**Anyway, I'll keep this short, sweet and to the point. This part sort of rushes a bit but I wanted to get it finished ha ha ha. The next chapter will far more Reaver in it than this one did (Or maybe that's the next chapter, I have no idea.) I'll ask you guys. Do you want to see Rosie's rise to power (withOUT Reaver) or do you want me to skip like, 21 years into the future when she's...oh I can't tell you yet! :D **

**Anyway, reviews make the writing process go faster so more reviews=quicker update. I want to thank all my new reivewers and old ones as well! There are so many of you to name but thank you a TON for giving me the motivation to stay up super late last night to finish this update. Love you guys! **  
><strong>So, with that, enjoy, review, and...yeah. :)<strong>

**Reaver (c) Lionshead**

**Rosie (c) Yours truly!**

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><p><em>"My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;<br>My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;  
>The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;<br>From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won; 20  
>Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!<br>But I, with mournful tread,  
>Walk the deck my Captain lies,<br>Fallen cold and dead."_

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><p>I opened my eyes to see Alorah already up and talking softly to her sister in the corner and I sat up, watching their hand movements and their agitated expressions. It was still night time, or at least early morning and I could hear their hurried, hushed words in their language and I sat up. Alorah's back was to me and her sister saw me sit up. She stopped talking at once and then I saw Alorah turn around and her eyes widened when she saw me up.<p>

"I didn't think we were being that loud," She said in her beautiful accent and I kept my comments to myself. "We were discussing…"

She glanced back to her sister who was making little head movements that obviously made sense to Alorah because she stopped talking. There was something the two sisters were planning that they did not want to tell me. We sat in an awkward silence for a few more moments until I heard footsteps moving across the upper deck and my eyes flicked up, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was going on. I could hear the plodding sound moving across the deck and finally stop as soon as they were to my right. A deep voice began speaking and I had to strain my ears to hear what they were saying.

"The ship is right off our aft," The voice murmured and I could hear the shuffles of a man who was obviously extremely nervous. "They'll reach us by midafternoon if we don't do something quickly. Maybe we can throw the cargo over the side? They can pick them up and that would slow them down."

My blood turned to ice as I heard this and I turned my optics to Alorah whose eyes were probably as wide as mine. We were as silent as a grave and as cold as one too as the men moved over our heads. The second one finally spoke and now I could hear them even clearer.

"We can't throw them overboard," He told the visibly younger sailor, "If we don't deliver this cargo to Westcliff, Gordon will have my head and…" His voice fizzled out into nothingness and I thought I saw Alorah also straining to catch the next string of syllables out of this man's mouth. His hand slammed into the mast and I jumped slightly. "Dammit…if it's Reaver…"

"It can't possibly be him, Sir." The other sailor said brightly, "If it was Reaver, we'd all be dead right now. You know how he is."

I heard the man; probably Amos, scoff and then his boots moved across the deck again, "Perhaps you're right. Maybe it's just another merchant ship. Perhaps we will indeed make it to Westcliff…"

However confident Amos' words might have been, there was no denying the quiver that laced his voice like a cold breeze on an otherwise perfect day. I shivered involuntary and watched Alorah translate for her sister. Her eyes took on a worried tone and she whispered something back to her little sister.

"They really won't throw us overboard, will they Rosie?" Alorah asked in a hushed voice as all thoughts of their previous conversation evaporated from my mind. The two girls slid over to me and curled up by my side and we tried in vain to fall back asleep.

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><p>"GET UP, LET'S GO!" Someone was shouting and kicking at the bound people who were moaning either from the impact of a shoe in their faces or by the fact that they were getting rudely awakened by an aggressive sailor. I was shaking Alorah and her sister before the sailor could reach us. When he glared at Alorah and reached back to kick her, I wrapped an arm protectively around her.<p>

"Touch her and I'll slit your throat," I snapped and then quickly recoiled at the harshness of my own voice. Telling someone off was extremely out of character for me but blatantly telling someone I was going to slit their throat…

He narrowed his eyes and then spat at my feet before moving onto bother another unfortunate looking young man who I noticed because of only three important key things. One, he was a darker male with a shaved head and brilliant green eyes that met mine as soon as I glanced up at him. Two, his eyes quickly made haste to stare at the necklace that was dangling from my neck and third…he instantly took my breath away with his beauty. His high cheek bones and full lips caught my attention almost as much as his eyes and we looked at each other for a few seconds before he averted his eyes and I drew mine away just as quickly. Alorah watched the scene and then spoke as we sat up, wincing as our bones snapped and popped under the strain of being on a rough floor for so long.

"Who is that boy?" I asked in a hushed whisper and I saw Alorah's eyes flick over to the boy.

"His name is Kimoni or Great Man in my language. He and I lived in the same village and he was taken for his beauty. He is very handsome, isn't he? He was in love with a beautiful young woman named Jabulani until she died of the same disease that took…" She faltered but I knew what she was about to say. Her brother had been claimed by the same sickness. I nodded slowly and watched as the sailor moved on.

The ominous feeling of dread that surrounded the ship didn't settle as the morning wore on. We were given bread and water just like any other day and Alorah and her sister took their share without as much as a thank you. I tried to keep my eyes to myself, but I felt them slide over towards Kimoni and I admired his beautifully toned body and marveled as his muscles rippled under his hot chocolate colored skin.

My eyes found Alorah's and she was giving me the look like a little sister would give her love struck sibling. I felt myself blush under her gaze and then I went back to my bread and water.

From clipped bits of speech from the crew, we found out that the ship was coming towards us at an alarming pace and they began to talk of throwing some of us overboard. Of course, Amos intervened and even more spoke of maybe starting a mutiny. They touched their cudgels, the perfect tool of mutiny, as I had learned in my senior year, as if reassuring themselves that they were there. The ship continued to move closer even as the morning turned to evening and finally, Kimoni scooted closer to Alorah, her sister, and me.

"Have you heard anymore, little Lioness?" He asked Alorah in accented English and she shook her head fiercely. His piercing green eyes turned to me and I was reminded horribly of Reaver's. "You wear the mark of evil on your chest." He made a sign like a cross and I was taken aback. "You are not from Samarkand or Aurora. You are from Albion, yes?"

"Sure, let's say that," I finally concluded and he arched an eyebrow at me.

"You wear that necklace but still claim to be from Albion. Don't you know where that comes from?" He demanded and my eyes widened.

"Um…a shop?" I guessed and finally, Alorah's sister spoke in a throaty voice so thick with an accent, I could barely tell she spoke English.

"The Shadow Court," She spat and then made the same cross, "You have made a deal with the Court. Don't deny it."

I was speechless but then realized that there was a piercing whistle warbling through the tense atmosphere. Men's boots hurried across the deck and I heard the sounds of orders from a different man, obviously the pirate captain. Maybe Amos wasn't the captain after all. The slaves murmured to themselves and I looked back at Kimoni who looked back at me and then at Alorah and her sister.

"My brothers are frightened, I must tend to them," He said and then looked me dead in the eye, "I do not care whether or not you have given your soul for the evils of this life, you must take care of these two girls. If I come back to find them dead by your hand, I will hunt you down and kill you."

I took a deep breath and nodded as he moved away from the girls. Alorah didn't seem to mind that I had dealt with the devil but her sister, who had always been a bit stand offish to me, refused to take my comfort.

Then the calm before the storm began. It became deathly quiet on the deck as the men prepared for battle and I heard the men down below us preparing to fire the cannons. The slaves still were scared and I held onto Alorah for dear life.

The first cannon struck and killed eight of the slaves on impact, injuring many more. We screamed and I grabbed Alorah's sister and we slammed to the deck and more fire was exchanged and more cannon ball holes riddled the side of the ship. Screams were heard from up above along with gunfire. I noticed that many of the slaves were also flat on the floor and through the hole, I saw the mahogany side of the "Joker's Lament" pull up to the side of our ship and I heard the sounds of grappling hooks latch onto the side and the screams and gunshots and the thuds of the dead and dying. What would happen to us if they all died in the battle? Would we be able to get out of our bonds or would we starve to death?

The battle raged on above us and the air became thick with the smoke of old fashioned muskets and pistols making it hard for me to breathe. Blood dripped in between the cracks of the wood and I winced as some fell onto my nose and I heard many of the slaves coughing and vomiting up the nothingness in their bellies. I forced my stomach to hold itself as I held down Alorah and her sister, who clung together, crying in the smoke and heat of the battle.

The battle raged on and occasionally, a body would fall through the opening in the ceiling as we did our best to be silent. We knew we would be killed if we made any noise. I pulled the cloak over our heads to drown out the noises and sights of the fight but it did little to hide the stench of the gunpowder and the moans of the dying.

Finally, as the bullets ceased and the smoke still hung thick in the air did I allow myself to remove the cloak from our bodies. I was pleased to see that both girls had hung on but both had puffy faces. I glanced over to see if Kimoni had made it but saw nothing through the haze of smoke. Suddenly, we heard footsteps descending into the belly of the ship. I sat up, ignoring my spinning head as several men unlike any we had seen on the ship previously, saunter down the steps to see us. He was tall with a neatly trimmed beard and wore a hat that had a feather poking out of it. His cheekbones were low and he had extremely thin lips. His eyes glinted with a vicious cruelty that I sometimes saw on the Animal Planet when a hungry predator had finally trapped its prey.

"Well, it seems as if we found this ship's trade," He said in a drawling voice and then he glanced at a rather pretty young woman who could only be fifteen or so. "Hello darling," He purred as he pulled her up and she began to babble in Alorah's language. His lip curled in disgust and he threw her to the floor rather hard. I winced when I saw the young woman's pain blossom across her face. "They're all from Samarkand. They won't do us one little bit of good on our crew," His eyes flickered to a few other girls and boys who were as pale as pale could be, "Do you speak English?" He demanded and one of the young boys answered, pushing aside the body of one of his friends. The little girls were still crying.

"Yes sir, please sir, don't kill us sir," he gulped and the man again smiled cruelly and then his eyes flicked to Alorah's sister.

"Here's a pretty young lady," He grabbed her and she turned her head away at the sight of him. His lip curled over his teeth, "Look at me you stupid whore!" he grabbed her chin with his crusty fingernails and dug them into her cheeks. She yelped and turned towards the captain who got a look in his eye that I didn't like at all. "She knows her profession," he smirked and threw her back to the floor and then turned to Alorah. "And this must be my little whore's sister."

He reached down for her but I quickly grabbed her and held onto her as tightly as I could, "You touch her and I swear on whatever god you believe in, I'll rip your throat out!"

He drew his hand back and then arched a rather greasy eyebrow, "I can kill you, you know," He smirked but my poker face remained. Inside I was shaking but I held my ground. "I see you're a feisty one. I like 'em feisty." He took a swig from a brown bottle and then smiled at me with his equally brown teeth. "Cornwell," He snapped and a young man stepped forward, "Take those three girls to my cabin and give them my special costumes." He smirked at us and his eyes lingered on me. "The rest of these slaves can wait here until tomorrow morning."

We were pulled up onto our feet and marched up towards the bright sunlight and what I saw nearly made me pass out. Bodies were strewn everywhere. He then nodded towards several other men who were on their knees. All of them were wounded, some more than others and as we walked over to them, the captain of the opposing ship leaned down and I could tell he had rank breath by the men's expressions.

"Now boys," He said as jauntily as if he was talking about the weather, "I need to know whether or not you wish to join my crew or join the rest of your fellow crew in their unfortunate demise." He chuckled as if he had finished telling a really good joke. The men quickly chose to join the captain's crew and he smirked. "Your first order of business is to clean up this ship and then repair it for my use."

I turned my head away and tried not to feel horrified. These men, no matter how cruel they may be, probably didn't deserve to clean up the bodies of their dead comrades. I shivered as I was pushed across the gangplank onto the other ship. I caught Alorah as she stumbled and she nodded in thanks.

"Get in there!" One of the men yelled as we were shoved through a door and then were made to strip. A tub of hot water and soap had been placed in the captain's quarters, even though they weren't as nice as Reaver's. The tub was far big enough for three people and the men left as we stripped. Obviously they wanted their captain to have all the fun and we stepped in, almost feeling the stress of the past five days roll off our backs.

Almost.

We leaned back and each of us scrubbed in complete and utter silence until Alorah started crying. I leaned over and she finally admitted to me what was wrong.

"We are both still pure! We cannot lose ourselves to this…MONSTER!" She began to cry more which made her sister begin to cry and I felt myself tear up and then I looked around the room. Maybe there was something to guard ourselves with! I jumped out of the tub and wrapped the soiled cloak and rummaged through drawers and dressers only finding a decanter of something golden, probably a strong liquor, a small knife, not even big enough to do any real damage and papers. The only thing I could think that I could do with the decanter…

Suddenly, an idea popped into my head and a smile slowly stretched across my features. I tied my now super frizzy hair back into a ponytail and then motioned the others to take the threadbare towels that had been set out and they walked over to me and the decanter in my hand.

"I have an idea…"

We found ourselves in extremely scandalous outfits not half an hour later. Or at least, what was probably scandalous for Albion at the time. It was nothing like what they had back in my world at the Fredrick's of Hollywood. It was probably no better than the outfit Reaver had me during our first meeting but it was worse than my bikini. We stood there inside the captain's cabin and Alorah and her sister watched me furiously as a blush crawled up my cheeks. The captain was only wearing a pair of black trousers that did an extremely bad job of hiding his bulging erection. I shivered and prayed that my plan would work.

"Ladies," He purred in what I figured was a seductive tone of voice but sounded more like the growl of a crocodile with indigestion, "What are you waiting for?"

"Oh please Mr. Captain sir," I whined in my best innocent girl voice, "We were wondering if we could make you a bit more comfortable?"

He sat up slightly and arched an eyebrow, "I am already quite comfortable. The only way you could make me more so is if…"

"PLEASE," I snapped and he narrowed his eyes, "I mean, please sir," I changed my tone to seduction, "We just want to give you a little bit to drink first."

Alorah reached behind her on the table and pulled out the decanter full of the amber liquid and a shot glass we had found on the desk. "We will drink with you of course. Then you will enjoy us even more."

He thought for a few moments and I held my breath, hoping that our plan would work. Finally, he held his hand out for the glass and I nodded for the two girls to let him have it. Alorah poured while her sister gave him the glass. They acted like two perfect little geisha as they filled up his glass and he grinned and swirled the liquid into his glass. He then gave it to Alorah who drank from it as well and then to her sister who also drank. I was the final one and I closed my lips, straining to keep the liquor from hitting my tongue. I then handed it back to Alorah who filled it up once again and then back to the captain who downed the whole thing without offering us any.

He played into my hands perfectly and finally, he was completely and utterly drunk. He motioned me closer and pressed his whisky tasting mouth to my own. I had to pretend to love it and I moaned as his hands explored my body. I prayed that Alorah and her sister had turned their heads away and now, he pulled away and his glazed over eyes finally told me that it was time to put plan B into effect.

"You look tired, darling. Maybe we should do this in the morning," I purred and smoothed his greasy hair, allowing a stupid smile to cross his face.

"You are probably right," He muttered as he leaned back, "We will…" He was snoring before he could finish the last word. I nodded to the girls who put out the lights and started making moaning noises who convince anyone who was passing by or a really perverted sailor. I then pulled out the small knife and then held it to his stubbly throat. My stomach turned over once and then I remembered what he was going to do with two girls who he probably knew he was stealing away their innocence and then I remembered what I had chosen immortality for.

Revenge…

My hand was moving at its own accord now and suddenly, it was across the captain's throat and deep crimson stained his already soiled sheets and spread like a vicious creature across the linen. Alorah watched me as my hand moved and I looked back at her my hands covered in blood. Her eyes widened and then all three of us began to moan. Would this really, truly work?

Finally, after about half an hour of this, we nodded to each other and grabbed jackets the captain had lying around. I opened the door and was horrified to see his crew guarding not only his ship but the slaver too. We threw the hoods back over our faces and began to cross before we were stopped by a sailor.

"What are you doing out here?" He demanded, "The captain…"

"Is drunk right now," I interrupted. "He is sleeping off a nasty hangover after all the drinking he did after all the foreplay. We've decided to go back down with our friends and sleep down there until tomorrow morning."

"Uh…okay." I could tell right off the bat that the guy wasn't very smart and he allowed us to go through and told the other guy to let us go. We walked back down into the belly of the slaver and then saw the others sleeping in the shadows. My eyes landed on Kimoni and I went over to shake him.

"Kimoni," I whispered. He looked up at me and his eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing back here?" He demanded, "You let them go!"

"They didn't do anything with him!" I insisted, "He's dead and we need your help to take his crew hostage."

"How can I believe you?" He asked and then his eyes flicked over to the young woman standing next to me. She took off her hood and I was amazed to see Alorah's sister standing next to me like a regal princess ready to make her speech. He turned to her, "Is this true, Mariatu?"

This was the first time I had heard her name but she nodded and then spoke in their language in hushed voices. Alorah worked on waking up the others and they sat up, yawning. Some of the older ones were happy to fight but others were frightened and scared. I gathered them all up into a corner and then hesitated.

"I've never done anything like this before," I admitted, "How to we ambush these guys?"

"Perhaps I can help," Said an older man who had an almost Asian look about him, "I used to be a sailor myself until I was in Bloodstone. I was drugged and when I woke up, I was here. Allow me to serve you."

I nodded and then let the man, whose name was Sen have the floor and he began explaining how they would take the crew by force. Guns would not be necessary but we would sneak onto the ship and announce that I had killed the captain and that I was the new captain on the ship and they were my crew. Then, the crew of the Joker could either join or they would be banished to something called "The Howling Halls" which made the pale people shiver. I nodded and we spoke a little longer and finally, the plan was set. We knocked out the men on deck before they could sound the alarm and Sen took a whistle from one and wrapped it around his wrist. The piercing call echoed through the still night and the crew stumbled sleepily from their hammocks only to find an extremely pissed off band of slaves.

"On this fortnight," Sen began in his deep voice as we heard the crew begin to mutter angrily, "The woman known as Miss Rosie Sharpp defeated the Captain you might have known. She now has the right to govern your ship and the ship you captured and all those who oppose her will be thrown into the Howling Halls of Westcliff and will never come out alive."

The crew shouted angrily but Sen held his ground, glaring at men who touched the cutlasses on their belts. Finally, the shouting ceased and they watched me expectantly.

"Fine, we'll stay but the girl better know what she's doing," A man approached and glared at Sen and me. "I'm the first mate, my name's Slater. Never liked the captain much but I never thought that a woman would become my captain." He stuck a pipe in his mouth and proceeded to blow a cloud of smoke into the air. "However, I'm not a fan of those Howling Halls and so I chose to serve ye." He bowed and the rest of the crew reluctantly followed.

Sen then turned to me and smiled slightly, "Then I would like to introduce to you Captain Sharpp, Pirate Queen."

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><p><strong>Ooh, Pirate Queen! Reaver might have some competition! <strong>

**The poem above was written by Walt Whitman in 1865 about president Lincoln's assassination. I loved this poem since I was really little and felt like it matched this chapter well. I DO NOT OWN IT AND I KNOW I DO NOT OWN IT! **

**Remember, reviews make the writing process go just that much faster. :D I love all those who are amazing enough TO review! I love you all. :3 (I think for the least amount of chapters I have the most reviews on any Fable story on here!)**


	9. Deja Vu

**Sorry it's been so long since I updated! School and musical rehersal have been eating up most of my time and it's become increasingly hard to find time to write. This chapter is a little shorter because of that very reason and so...bear with me my friends because hopefully, I'll have something done soon. Definitely not this next week because I'll be away from the computer, but perhaps I'll write on the bus and then transfer stuff onto my computer when I get home. I still have four stories to update! **

**Reaver, Albion and so forth (c) Lionhead, Microsoft**  
><strong>Rosie Sharpp (c) Yours truly!<strong>

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><p>~35 Years Later~<p>

I stood at the helm of my beautiful ship, "The Thorn of Aurora" with my spy glass and scanned the horizon for any ships that I could plunder with my fleet. There were four ships, including Thorn were either stolen or acquired from other pirates who joined me. When I had first became the captain of The Joker, nobody had taken a young woman and her ragtag crew seriously. It was only when Sen, now my first mate, had convinced me that the only way anyone was going to take my crew seriously was if we went and actually attacked a small vessel. I wasn't extremely keen on it at first especially when I learned that most great pirate lords used cutlasses and I didn't know how to use those in the slightest. Fortunately, not only had Alorah been taught to wield a sword, but so did Mariatu and Kimoni. Apparently where they were from, it was a great honor and since all three of them were being trained as warriors to defend their village, they knew how to use them and each day, they would take their captain and teach her how to properly use a sword.

It took almost eight years for me to finally brandish the weapon of pirates with full confidence and four years after that to wield a gun properly and all the sudden, the Avenger and the Marionette, my weapons I had bought in Westcliff, became my best friends.

Four years into my piracy career, I was the 'behind-the-scenes' captain while Sen and the crew of The Joker and we had several attacks which we were able to pull off only because the sheer amount of crew we had and unfortunately, we lost that ship when they tried to blow up The Joker.

Six years after this, I felt the first stabbing pains of mortality tugging at my body and I was forced, for the first time in my life, to take a young woman's life, a whore whom I acquired in Bloodstone when we made port there, and use her as a sacrifice.

As soon as I did this, all pain from my body lifted and the wrinkles that had been gathering on the back of my hands and the crow's feet on my face vanished and I was once again 24 years old.

Unfortunately, we had to make a rather speedy getaway when we found out that Reaver was also spotted up at his solemnly used mansion and only found we were carrying four stowaways from Reaver's ship in our cargo. Angry that we had several more mouths to feed, I quickly found out that one of them was even more skilled with a sword than Kimoni and Mariatu. Alorah had returned to Aurora when we had made a trip there to let off almost half of the slaves who had been on the slaver headed straight for Westcliff while half of the slaves stayed on the ship.

That's where I discovered Captain Ybet, a rough talking sailor man with only one eye and one ear. He was downright crafty and apparently in his heyday, a seriously bad pirate lord and one of the few that had ever escaped Reaver's clutches. I instantly had a connection with him and he also gave me the greatest gift anyone had ever given to me in my life. He allowed me to take his one and only ship, "The Thorn of Aurora" in return if I promised to bring Reaver down like the dog he was. I promised with gusto and he told me that he knew I would do him proud.

Another ten years passed and I learned more and more about becoming a pirate. Sen still taught me about navigation while Kimoni, Mariatu, and the four stowaways taught me about combat. Several more taught me about how to perform daily activities and slowly, without me realizing it, I truly became the captain of a two ship fleet.

Twenty years had now passed and I began to finally make a name for myself in the legends of Albion. I heard that the Queen, a woman named Sparrow, wanted my head and would pay vast amounts of gold for the sailor who captured me dead or alive. I laughed to myself while sitting in my quarters, balancing out exactly how much went to supplies, how much went to my crew and how much I could spend on myself, keeping up with increasingly expensive lifestyle.

I took on a style when I was in my 23rd year of roaming the seas. I was once again in Aurora visiting with Alorah and her sons and daughters when I went out shopping in one of the vast outdoor markets. To that point, I had been wearing an old raggedy jacket with boots and a hairband I had found on one of the raids we had done, my sense of sadness or pity long buried away from the fighting we had done.

However, we weren't just a bunch of horrible pirates who lived off bloodlust. We gave them the chance to join our ever growing family and sometimes, they would throw down their allegiance with not so much as a second thought while others were far more attached to their captain then they led onto be.

Anyway, I was shopping in the outdoor market when a handsome red jacket caught my attention with silver buttons that crossed over the bust and a deep gold trim. The rest of the ensemble had a pink and light green wrappings that one could wrap around their torso to keep from being chaffed, a pair of black tight pants that were breathable, a pair of fingerless brown gloves, calf high boots with just a bit of a heel, and a red hat with a blue feather to sweeten the deal. They even had a pair of bright blue earrings that matched the hue of the feather.

I quickly bought the outfit and then returned back to where my ship was docked giving it to a young lady who was extremely slight and disguised as a man to hide herself from the other members of the crew. Her eyes widened when her hands came into contact with the fine material but I smiled at her and arched an eyebrow.

"Would you mind making some alterations on this?" I asked politely and her eyes widened.

"I will need to get some measurements, Captain Sharpp," She mumbled and I nodded slightly.

"Come into my cabin this evening and get some measurements," I told her quickly, "But don't tell any of the other men you're coming."

"Yes Ma'me," She bowed slightly and handed me back the ensemble.

After this, I became known as The Lady of The Red Sea a ruthless princess of the ocean that took the lives of sailors mercilessly and drank their blood, sacrificing their bodies to my Kraken and that kept me immortal and young forever.

I wondered if Reaver had this problem.

Anyway, I was standing on the head of The Thorn, watching the sun set over the sea, setting it on fire with gold, orange and purple hues that one could only see on the open sea. I inhaled through my nose as one of my men; a younger guy named Alexander came up to me and cleared his throat.

"Captain Sharpp," He said in his clipped voice and I turned to him.

"Yes, Mr. Alexander?" I snapped, jumping down from my perch and turning to face him. The Marionette was strapped securely at my hip and he watched as my hand brushed against it, his skin turning slightly sweaty at the sight. Surely he thought I was as bad as Reaver…It had been rumored, of course.

"Madame, we have a ship that was just spotted on our aft," He said and I arched an eyebrow, "We believe that its intent is hostile because it has been following us for the past hour."

I began to walk across the ship deck and Alexander followed in silence, "Why wasn't I aware of this before?" I spat angrily and I saw one of Kimoni's children cringe under my harsh words. His father had died several years back in an attack that had also taken the life of his sister.

"Because we didn't know its intentions before, Captain," He told me earnestly and I scowled.

"We'll have to watch it tonight then," I snapped and then announced, "DOUBLE WATCHES TONIGHT, MEN! WE HAVE A SHIP ON OUR TAILS!"

A collective groan was heard and my first mate turned to me.

"Captain," He said softly, "I have a bad feeling about this."

I watched him from the corner of my eye and nodded, "I do to. But they're going to need a lot of firepower if they think they're going to bring down…"

Suddenly, a bang echoed from over the water and the co-captain of "Avo's Stronghold" fell to the deck of their ship.

"SHIT!" I swore loudly and then began yelling out orders, "STRONGHOLD, GET DOWN AND HOLD YOUR GROUND! AURORA, DO THE SAME!"

I screamed the same orders out to my other two ships and they all got onto the ground. Several more sharp cracks were heard and I fell to the deck as well.

"Captain, what do you want to crew to do now?" He asked softly and I racked my brain for answers.

"Stay on the deck," I hissed, "We'll stop, but at least we won't get shot and when they finally reach us…" I touched my gun and smirked, "We'll be ready for them."

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><p>Five excruciating hours went by and the sky changed from deep orange to purple to velvety black dotted by the diamonds of the night sky. Silence descended over my ships and they could hear the other ship getting closer, the crew not bothering to be silent. Suddenly, my blood went cold. I distinctly heard the voice of her least favorite captain.<p>

It was Reaver's ship.

"I need to get into my cabin," I whispered to her first mate and he nodded slightly. "I'll be back out here in a second but I know whose ship that is. I can't let him see me or he will destroy us all. This is your only chance to survive. Equip those who don't have weapons and then prepare them for battle, got that?"

"Yes Ma'me," He murmured and we spoke for about an hour, devising a plan between ourselves. As soon as this was finalized, he began to move about the crew on his hands and knees, telling them of our plan.

I scurried back into my cabin and pulled my sword close to her breast. I knew he would come and I had only a few seconds to take him off guard and I had learned enough about Reaver, poring every waking moment into finding a way to kill him, to know his secrets, about his past, everything about him. I found I became obsessed and that only just teetered on the brink between obsession and hatred.

I heard his ship passing her own not an hour later and I heard HIS drawling voice speaking to my first mate.

"Now, if you don't want to be shot, I would suggest you tell me where your captain is," He said and I could just imagine his gun being pointed in my first mate's face. I sat down at my desk and bent my head so Reaver couldn't see my face and suddenly, the door burst open and there he was in all his glory.

I saw his boots before I even lifted her head and my hand tightened on the gun I held below the desk.

"Ah…so I see you're the captain." He said simply and I spoke in a deeper voice than what I was used to.

"Yes. And obviously you're the great Pirate King Reaver, am I correct?"

He scoffed and I heard him thumb the hammer back, "So you've heard of me," He said cockily and I smirked below my hat. "And my guess is that you've taken this fleet by force. My, my I always did like a woman on top."

I made a face and then slowly, put the feather quill I was holding in her left hand down. "I did indeed take this fleet by force but perhaps you've heard of me as well." My head slowly lifted up and I saw Reaver for the first time in over thirty years. He didn't even seem fazed as I took out her gun and pointed it at his face. "The Great Captain Sharpp, Mistress of the Sea."

Reaver didn't dare allow his gun to falter. "I should have known you wouldn't have died in that swamp. You were far too clever for that, weren't you, my dear?"

"Damn right," I snarled, "And you have no right to take over my ship. I will be the death of you, Reaver."

He laughed slightly and then took a step closer, "Must we fight like children, Rosalind?"

I winced slightly and then barked out a dry laugh, "She died long ago, you old fool. You should know that by now."

"Ah yes, I should have known, silly me."

They stood, their guns pointing at each other until he spoke again, "I like the outfit, Miss Sharpp, very…excuse the terrible pun…sharp, if I do say so myself."

"Oh don't be cute," I snapped and suddenly, he dropped his gun. "Are you stupid? I'll shoot you!"

Suddenly, he was right next to me and his hands were on my shoulders and his knee was at my most intimate place. I gasped as his mouth came right to my ear. "You don't have the guts to do it."

"But I do," Came another voice and before anything could happen, there was a gunshot and only one of the men fell. However, that turned out to be my dear first mate that fell to the floor dead.

Reaver was indeed, one hell of a shot.

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><p><strong>No song in this one, my internet is running so slow I can't get the song I wanted lyrics to load so I am going to say farewell and if you enjoyed it I ask you to leave a review because this gives me inspiration to write faster! Thanks to all my reviewers returning and new for keeping this story alive! :D<strong>


	10. The Bet

**Yes, I know I haven't updated in like, FOREVER. Don't kill me please. Life's been extremely hectic lately and I'm really, really REALLY tired and just got this update done like...three minutes ago. Now, I am off to bed. Please review. For the love of all things bright and beautiful review. That's really honestly the only thing keeping me going. **  
><strong>I'm off to go pop some pills. Nighty night. ^^<strong>  
><strong>Reaver © Lionshead Studio<strong>  
><strong>Rosie Sharpp © Flamboyant Cuttlefish<strong>  
><strong>Lyrics © Voltaire<strong>

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><p><em>"I'm the fly in your soup<br>I'm the pebble in your shoe  
>I'm the pea beneath your bed<br>I'm a bump on every head  
>I'm the peel on which you slip<br>I'm a pin in every hip  
>I'm the thorn in your side<br>Makes you wriggle and writhe"_

* * *

><p>"SEN!" I screamed as he fell to the floor. As I tried to take a step forward, Reaver's hands tightened around my waist and he slammed my head up against the wall of the ship so hard, I saw stars.<p>

"YOU BASTARD! YOU DAMN BASTARD YOU KILLED HIM!" I screamed as I tried to claw my way out of his arms.

"Yes, thank you, I am aware of that," He drawled and I tried to make another lunge for him but his gun was back on my temple. "I would really hate to kill you, my dear, especially after I've scoured the world for you. You do realize you cost me a rather pretty penny to find my pretty little penny."

I slapped one of his hands away and glared. "I am NOT and will never be your pretty little penny, you fatherless son of a bitch."

"Oh your words burn, my dear." He said sarcastically as I tried to take another step forwards, "I don't want to kill you, but I will if you take another step forward."

I knew he wasn't kidding and so I brought my own gun down to my side. "Why are you here? Why search for someone whom you thought was dead?"

"My little minx, you don't know me well enough," He purred as he caressed my cheek. I made a face and he arched a rather well groomed eyebrow. "I wanted your help. Someone with as much creativity as you is hard to find and I thought if I could find the sly girl who bamboozled me the first time would be able to provide me with some services that were necessary to my retrieval of an artifact that was said to be lost to time."

I rolled my eyes in disgust, "You want me to help you find treasure? Well you can forget it! If I could, the only place I'd help you find is the bottom of the ocean!"

Reaver made a tut-tut noise and his smirk grew wider as he leaned down next to me, "You don't have much of a choice, now do you? I have already killed one of your men, Rosie. I doubt you'd like me to kill any more of them."

I narrowed my eyes in hatred. "You are truly the most evil man to ever sail Albion."

"I try. Now will you help me or not?"

"How do I know you won't kill me in my sleep?"

His eyes took on a certain glint and his mouth dropped its façade, "You don't really have a choice but no, I will not kill you. I need your…expertise for this type of treasure."

"Do you want to take this gun away from my brain so I can hear more about it without wanting to rip your throat out?"

He chuckled and removed the gun and his hand from my cheek and stepped back. I glared at him and then spoke again, "And release my men from whatever your crew was about to do to them."

"Very well, my dear," He turned on his heel and went towards the door but not before I pulled out my own gun and held it to the back of his head.

"And when you're out there, get off my damned ship," I snarled and thumbed back the hammer. It was my turn to play dirty, "I will never help you, not after what you did to me."

However, as much as I would like to say that I was over my horny teenage girl phase, the second Reaver had lashed out, my gun flying from my hands and onto the floor and his knee was pressed to my most intimate place the breath left my body.

"I don't think you should do that," He whispered in my ear before nuzzling it with his nose, sending goose bumps up and down my body. "I offer you gold and riches beyond your wildest dreams, Rosalind. The answer to your way home might be there as well."

My stomach dropped to my shoes. My way…home? I barely remember anywhere except Albion being my home but I did remember my little house by the cape where the wind battered against the sides and my old Subaru…what was a Subaru again?

After a few moments of silence between us, Reaver let me go. "Now, will you promise me the moment I turn my back, you will not try and kill me? It seems so childish all this bickering, especially now that we're business partners."

He gave me a little peck on the lips as if this was a seal on our agreement and then turned on his heel, leaving me to wonder what he meant by this treasure.

"Now," He said, pulling out a large map for me to see, "There is a treasure that was said to be long lost to civilization in a part of Samarkand that has been long forgotten by the world."

Reaver had placed himself across from me on the other side of my desk the next morning. It had taken several hours to convince him to go back to his own ship instead of spending the night with me. However, he was convinced that sometime during our time together, I would break down and sleep with him. However, I vowed I would remain strong against his advances, unlike last time. I was older now, no matter what my skin may have said.

"So…what exactly is this treasure?" I asked, taking another slice of bread from a basket that had been placed there earlier that morning, "You said it might have something to do with getting me back to my world."

"I knew that you wouldn't forget about that," He chuckled and slid something across the table, "This is something I found while…careening with a captain of a silk vessel."

"Oh gross, I didn't need to know that," I put the bread back and wiped my hands on my red jacket before grabbing the parchment. Unfolding it, I saw what seemed to be little scribbles with the picture of a ship in old Oriental style. "What does it say?"

"The captain wasn't even sure," He told her honestly, "He could…"

"Even worse! The captain was a HE?"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. He said that he could translate a bit of it and he said that there is a jewel that is worth millions that will take the person to wherever they want to go which means that you could go home. Rid myself of a lot of loose ends, that's for certain."

"But wouldn't you want the jewel for yourself?" I asked and he leaned forward, tapping his Dragonstomper .48 against the tabletop.

"The beauty of the jewel is that it stays when it takes the victim is taken to wherever they want to go. Also," he continued, "There has to be literally millions of pieces of gold and treasure that would make me a very wealthy man."

"I see," I also leaned forward, "And of course I would receive some of this before returning to my home?"

Reaver hesitated for a second and then nodded, "Of course, my dear."

Not that I believed him or anything, but I made him shake on it anyway. "So, I'm guessing we're off to Samarkand?"

"Indeed, my dear. However, it will take about five days to make port in New Pazzistan where we will gather the supplies that will be needed for our journey into the East.

"What's East?" I asked, standing up in order to stretch my body.

"I'm not sure. More people, I presume. Or it might be jungle. The only thing I have is a map and my men. And of course one cantankerous female playing captain."

"Excuse me?" I snorted and he arched an eyebrow.

"Like I said," He continued, "All I have is this map and you. And according to the map, as much as I hate to admit this, but I truly do need you."

"Why would you need me?" I snapped and he unfurled the map and I saw it was in English.

_"A woman's touch and a man's strong grip, _

_ Will be the only way this stone shall slip." _

"A couplet?" I asked, "The riddle on this map is a couplet?"

"Besides the map itself…yes. That's why I needed you."

"Why couldn't it be a whore or something like that to do it? I'm sure there are many women that you know that would be willing to help you." I assured him and he chuckled darkly.

"I would have gladly used one of those before I saw this."

He flipped it over, grabbed a goblet full of lemon juice he had asked for before our meeting and poured it all over the map.

_"To break the door down, _

_ And find the treasure you seek, _

_ Is to bring for your adversary, _

_ And try and make her speak, _

_ Then the door will fall to her, _

_ And the man she stands against,_

_ And only then will it acquire,_

_ Both the goddess, _

_ And the Devil." _

"So…That means all other notions of everything have flown out the window?" I asked and Reaver rolled his eyes. "Oh goodness, I feel so flattered that you consider me your greatest adversary."

"You're not the only one, just the closest one to me," He admitted and I smirked.

"Well I am definitely flattered, Reaver," I said sarcastically before standing up and grabbing a piece of linen to soak up the extra lemon juice. "And with that we leave?"

"Indeed," He agreed, rolling up the map and placing it in a cylinder that served as its resting place. "We move forward in our plan of operation and hope that nobody gets hurt in the process."

I glared at him, "You killed my first mate, Reaver, and I believe that people have already gotten hurt in your little game."

"Name one besides your first mate."

"Delaney!" I spat and suddenly, he stopped and turned on his heel to face me, "Delaney was hurt as was each one of your crew from your old ship when I gave myself away to the Shadows that stole your soul as well as mine."

Reaver was silent for a moment after my little outburst and then took a step towards me, "Why must you bring up the past when the future is so much more promising? I don't look at these people as if they are people but more like…stepping stones. They served their purpose in this life to help me retain mine. You should do the same. I would have thought the years of your piracy career would have told you that."

"I am nothing like you!" I snarled, "I may have given up my mortality but it was to escape your slimy clutches!"

"And yet here we are once again, ready to rip each other's throats out over the silliest little thing when we should be having the time of our lives with each other. Angry sex is always the best, if I do say so myself."

"I would not have sex with you even if you were the last man on the face of this planet!" I yelled and pushing past him, raced out the door and onto the deck of the Aurora. I had sent my other ships back to Bloodstone along with most of my crew. Only a few remained on deck, including Dr. Osai Hytachi, a rather profound doctor that had saved my life on numerous occasions and was extremely close to.

"Are you alright, Captain?" He asked in his accented English and I felt my face grow warm.

"Y-yes," I managed to get out before turning to him. He was a rather strange little man who looked extremely Oriental with a pair of pea sized glasses perched upon a rather large nose that didn't seem to fit his face very well at all.

"That other pirate is not doing anything well for your health, Rosie-san." He advised and I scoffed.

"I could have told you that," I reassured him as he smiled at me behind his tiny glasses.

"Do you want me to tell him to go away?

"Why would you tell him that?"

"Because he's coming over here right now." The doctor bowed as Reaver came up from behind me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"I wasn't finished with you," He said so slowly and seductively I shivered, despite the fact I was so angry at him.

"I was with you," I snapped before wrenching myself out of his grip. "All I want to do is get to Samarkand and find this stupid treasure so I can go home and see my family again, if they're still alive. I miss my car, for pity's sake! I barely remember how to drive one!"

"You are a pirate queen, for Avo's sake!"

"I am a woman from Maine!" I cried, feeling the tears gather in my eyes, "And all I honestly want to do is go home so I can be myself again. I can't carry on this façade anymore, Reaver. I'm not and will never be a pirate queen."

I ripped myself from his arms and turned on my heel to march back to my cabin, my head held high and my tears falling down my face at an alarming speed.

I collapsed on my bed and began to cry, my sobs coming out long and loud. I couldn't stand Reaver! He was the most evil creature I had ever met and I wanted him far, far away from me. He reminded me so much of someone I had once known in my life so long ago who would have probably been married with kids and maybe even grandkids by now. I wondered if Nate still remembered the girl who got dragged from a swimming pool into a world that shouldn't have even existed. Did they remember me? Did my parents cry when they had an open coffin funeral?

And then of course, there was Theresa, who I had not heard from since the fateful day in Reaver's cabin. Of course, he hated her and maybe I did too but perhaps she knew some way for me to get out of this hellhole without following Reaver to the ends of the earth and back.

I stood up from my bed and slowly made my way over the lacquered cabinets behind my desk that held my dearest Avenger and my other swords. My hands traveled along the blades and I thought of the pretty colors that would appear all over my desk if it accidently slipped along my veins.

However bad the situation would be, however, I knew that I wasn't one for suicide and so I put the thought to the back of my mind and sat down at my desk where I grabbed a long stemmed pipe and a dangerously low supply of cherry wood tobacco that was my only vice. Well, that and some of the better looking men on my ship who were my only comfort on so many lonely nights.

I lit my pipe and began to puff away at the end of it, filling the cabin with the incense of sweet cherry. My mind wandered like the vapors that dance through the cabin as my feet ended up on my desk. The light outside my window fell from violet to black and stars speckled the sky as I wandered out onto the deck, pipe still in mouth, puffing away at it every so often.

"Captain?" A voice was heard and I looked down to see a young lad, about fifteen watching me with curious eyes. I arched an eyebrow and then looked up to the stars that seemed to be laughing at me.

"What do you want?"

"Well…the crew wanted to know what you plan to do tonight. Captain Reaver also refuses to go back to his own ship before he speaks with you."

"Oh wonderful. Send dinner up to my room along with Reaver." I said before turning on my heel to go back to my room. However, a thought popped into my head and I stopped the boy, "Actually, tell him if he wants to talk, he'll bring dinner up to my room and for the evening, tell him that he must do exactly what I say for my help."

He nodded and scurried back down the stairs that led to the kitchen. Why Reaver was down there, I would never know but what I did know was that I didn't expect to let him get any slack from me. I closed the door softly behind me and turned towards the desk, removing the pipe from my mouth while tapping my fingers on my forearm. What would I do to Reaver? To this day, I wasn't a seducer, I wasn't pretty, and I wasn't graceful. Wait…Did I say seduce? I told him I wouldn't have sex with him even if he was the last man on the planet. Did I actually want to get into his pants?

I was still puffing on a cold pipe by the time someone knocked on my door, startling me so bad the pipe fell out of my mouth and clattered. I swore under my breath as I reached the door, pulling it open to see Reaver being followed by the boy who had spoken to me earlier.

"Ah, Rosie," He looked at his reflection in his nails and then swaggered into the room, followed by the boy. "You have requested to see moi for dinner?"

"I…guess," I scowled as the boy put down the food and waited to be dismissed, "You can go." I told him as he bowed deeply and walked out of the cabin. "Now, I would prefer this to be a dine and discuss meal, if that's alright with you."

"Only if I can provide dessert," He winked suggestively and I rolled my eyes, eyeing the portion on my plate. Potatoes, a meat of some type in orange sauce with slices on top, and wine. Not the best meal I had ever seen but certainly not the worst.

"Sit," I commanded and Reaver, for once, did as he was told. I sat down across from him and rolled out a map of Samarkand. "Now, I have reason to believe if we come into the port of New Pazzistan on the 23rd of the month, we can get our supplies and then within the week, we can travel into the east into the heart of Samarkand and find…whatever lurks there."

"Sounds like a plan," I could tell Reaver wasn't very interested in the plan for he was tilting his wine glass towards and away from him.

"Are you listening to me?" I snapped and suddenly, the wine was falling away from the glass and hurrying towards my jacket and slipping down into my lap, staining my jacket and my pants. "Ah! Reaver you damned fool!" I cried before leaping up and trying to stem the flow with a linen napkin. "Wine never comes out of clothes!"

Without another thought, I ripped off the jacket, exposing muscled arms from years of hard labor and training wrapped in white cloth that went all the way up to my forearms. I felt Reaver's eyes on them as soon as I took off my coat and walked around to my screen that separated me from his sight and yanked off the flowing white shirt with a giant stain on it, swearing under my breath all the while.

"Do you need any help in there?" Reaver asked slyly and I swore at him rather loudly before he laughed and I heard something creak slightly.

"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded, covering up my now exposed breasts with the shirt. Suddenly, Reaver was there, and he had captured me in his arms so I couldn't escape. Oh where did that damned shirt go?

"What do you think you're doing?" I demanded in a voice that was two octaves higher than usual.

"Something that we should have done quite a while ago, trust me."

"Let me go you bastard!"

"Ah, my little minx, if you really wanted me to let go of you, you wouldn't have taken your shirt off while I was in the room, no matter how much you wanted those stains off.

Shit. He was totally right, as usual. I would have waited. I had more white shirts that I could have worn but…Oh he was totally right! But I couldn't let him know that!

"I…I don't know what you're talking about," I managed to get out before he let out a scoff.

"You're the worst liar I've ever seen, my sweet."

"Bullshit."

He threw his head back and laughed, "Alright. I'll prove how much you want it," His arms loosened and I threw myself out of them, half wishing he would pull me back, "I bet you will give into your deepest desires during our time together and sleep with me at least twice."

I was flabbergasted! He had the nerve, THE NERVE, to say twice!

"Fine! I take your stupid bet! What's the wager?"

"Well…if you manage to stay away from my charms and come out on top of this, I will give you my whole share of the treasure. If you end up succumbing to me, I will go easy on you because it will happen; you give me a quarter of your share."

"Fine, it's a deal," I spat and then making sure I was covered up, I stuck out a hand and we shook I knew I would win this bet. I had to or my reputation would be destroyed.

"Oh and by the way…"

"You want to add more to our little wager?"

"No. I was going to tell you I can see your right breast through that shirt." With that, he turned on his heel to walk out of the cabin, ignoring the letter opener that flew past his face only a quarter of an inch away and lodged itself in the doorframe.

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><p><strong>Oh Reaver you sly dog! ;D <strong>

**If you like the story, give me some reviews! Or...if you hate it, that's alright too! Reviews make me work faster so if you want an update ASAP, show me some lurvins and REVIEW!**


	11. Athenia

**Well, to those of you still with me, I welcome you back. I know I haven't updated since Avo knows when but I had no motivation. Then, someone review asking me to please update and so, I got my drive back underneath me! See what a good review will do to a fanfictioning author?**  
><strong>Anyway, if you want to get updates...REVIEW! For the love of all things bright and beautiful! I know Fable isn't an extremely popular fandom but I love seeing those emails in my mailbox! Please review! It feeds this author's soul!<strong>

**Fable, Reaver (c) Lionhead Studios  
>Rosie, Athenia (c) Flamboyant Cuttlefish <strong>

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><p><em>I hate, everything about you.<em>

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><p>I awoke with a snort and rolled over to check the time on my desk. The clock was pointing to seven fifteen in the morning and I rolled over only to remember the horrendous night I had with Reaver. Oh good Avo…what had I done? I had made a wager with the devil and I wasn't prepared at all for it.<p>

I rolled over on my back and ran my hands over my face to muffle my angry moans. Suddenly, someone knocked on my door and I peeked through my still gloved fingers.

"What?" I snapped angrily as the door opened slightly. There was Dr. Hytachi at the door, holding a rather small bottle of tonic.

"Rosie-San, time for your medicine," He told me and I sat up and stretched my fingers to the ceiling. "What did you say to Reaver last night?"

"Nothing that should have been said," I responded bitterly. "We made a wager though. He drives me insane, Doctor."

"What was your wager on?" He asked as he filled up a rather large spoon of the gnarly medicine. It was to counteract the effects of my rather nasty habit of pipe smoking.

"It was about…well it wasn't good, let's just say that."

He looked at me from over the rim of his glasses and mixed the tonic with a glass of extremely watered down juice, "The man is not good for you, Rosie."

I snorted and drank the juice in one gulp, "Yeah, you don't need to tell me more than once he's a bad egg."

Hytachi cleaned up his medical equipment and then nodded to me, "He is indeed what you call 'a bad egg' miss. Please be careful."

"Got it, thanks again Doctor."

"It's what I do, my dear girl. I will see you in a little while."

He turned to leave but I stopped him suddenly.

"Doctor…the wager was sex. I have a leeway of once but twice…and I'm doomed. He knows how to get inside my head, he knows he can win this and now I'm thinking that I might be right. He probably will end up winning this." I flopped down onto my bed in a huff and stared up at the ceiling in defeat, "I don't know what to do."

Hytachi walked over to me and cocked his head so we could look at each other, "As your physician, I strongly warn you in participating in any sexual activity with that man. Good Avo, could you imagine the diseases he probably carries? Things no good person should be a hundred feet within."

I suppressed a shiver but felt better about not sleeping with Reaver, imagining all sorts of nasties crawling over his genitals. I wondered if there was a form of AIDS in Albion. If there was…he would probably have it. Finally, I sat up, groaned and grabbed a black bodice hanging from a hook.

"Thank you Doctor, I can now sleep at peace knowing that my lower regions are safe. Now, if you excuse me, I believe that today we are docking in our first port of Samarkand and I want to look my best."

He nodded and smiled at me slightly, "If you require anything ma'am, just know that I am always around."

"Thank you again, I really mean it."

With that, the doctor left the room and I stripped from my sleep garb and grabbed a big white billowing shirt that I wore underneath everything else and the black corset that tied in the front went on next. Following this was a pair of cloth pants and then what I dubbed as "pirate boots."

Just as I was pulling my unruly curls back into a ponytail, the door burst open and of course, my least favorite pirate of all time came tumbling into the room. I tucked my hair back into a bun and then turned to face the red clad man who was now meandering around with a bottle in hand, touching everything in sight…Including something that I had forgotten to put away after I had gotten a little…lonely the night before. Ah, shit.

He picked up the rather well shaped, smooth stone and a smile made its way over his lips, "My dear Rosie, I do wish you would allow me to help you instead of relying on a piece of rock to do the work a man's hand…certainly mine, should be doing."

I managed to pry it out of his hands and throw it into an open drawer with a satisfying THUNK before kicking the drawer closed with my foot.

"What I do in my cabin is none of your business," I hissed angrily, "You shouldn't even be here." I stepped out towards the door shaking my head angrily and trying to tie back a stray hair that tickled my neck. "Besides, I have plenty of crew that I could take without a second thought."

"But you won't, will you?" He asked coyly, trying to grab my arm but I was too mad at him to keep a firm grip on it, "I actually just came in here to tell you that we're waiting to get permission to dock."

I dropped my hands and hurried towards the window and sure enough, I could see houses that were whitewashed, sitting on top of cliffs that overlooked the azure sea. A large white palace ruled the smaller, quainter huts that lined the streets. The sky was blue and as I stepped out onto the deck, I knew I would need barely any clothes. My cabin was kept dark and cool for a reason and I wanted out of my everyday attire as I began to sweat profusely.

"Hot nights, the best drinks in Samarkand, and lovely women. This was one of the few places I enjoyed, if I remember correctly…"

Athenia was absolutely gorgeous. The city was made out of whitewash stone and had hundreds of different layers all mushed together on a hillside. Olive trees and scrubby foliage clung to the hillside but the city was awash in green that stood out against the white. The sea set off the colors even more, being a beautiful azure that reflected the sky and its clouds perfectly.

"Of course, we get to walk around and experience it all and meet one of my dear friends, the Count. He was certainly a ball of fun last time I happened to pass by their lovely little palace…I wonder if he's still as leery of me as he was after I stole his Countess…" Reaver chuckled at a memory long since passed and I rolled my eyes, walking out of the cabin, already fumbling with my pipe. I stuck it between my teeth and patted my pockets for a match until I heard the unique SCCRTCH of a match striking that would make me sit up and beg like a puppy and turned around to see who had just lit up.

"Beautiful women have no need to smoke," Reaver chided before lighting up his own pipe and sticking it between his ever supple lips. He then shook the match out and threw it into the water of the bay. I nearly screamed in frustration but managed to find my own match and light it. As soon as I inhaled the rich, fruity taste of cherry tobacco, I took the pipe out of my mouth and glared at the pirate lord.

"Have I ever mentioned that I absolutely hate your guts?" I scowled and Reaver chuckled, sending a bout of smoke into the warm morning air. The sun was just rising in the north, a strange occurrence for a girl who spent many years on Earth to see, and it touched the city with its golden fingers.

Reaver waved the comment away like the smoke he had just exhaled, "Minor facts, my little minx, minor facts."

My eyes scanned the horizon, looking for any sign of a ship coming to save me but there was no such luck. We stood in silence for a few moments, not even at each other's throats, which was surprising. Finally, Reaver spoke.

"The Count and I have a…difficult, rather strained relationship." He glanced at me and hopefully sent him the message that I really didn't care. He smirked and placed the pipe back in between his teeth and began speaking through it. "I will expect you to be on your best behavior, of course. Hopefully once the Count sees you, he will know my intentions are pure and I will not steal his Countess again. You," He said, gesturing to me, "Will stay out of my way and will not tell the Count anything about the nature of our expedition is that clear?"

I didn't respond but allowed a thick cloud of smoke to drift out of my nostrils, making me feel like a dragon.

"Crystal." I responded as a smaller boat that I had missed during Reaver's little speech pulled up next to us and waved.

"Captains Reaver and Sharpp, you have been granted access to the docks. My crew and I will lead your ship into port where you will be welcomed in the full hospitality that Athenia has to offer." The short little man yelled up at us and to keep from speaking to ghastly creature next to me, I turned on my heel and began shouting orders.

The ship began moving slowly, the others in the fleet staying outside the bay. Slowly, we made our way into port, passing under beautiful arches, lush with hanging plants and exotic birds. It was paradise. Maybe after all this pirate business, I could retire here and work an honest life.

Who was I kidding? I had eternity under my belt. I could do whatever the heck I wanted until the world crumbled to dust in my fingers. Pirating was the only respectable job for me. Either that or a stripper, which was almost as bad.

We slipped through the bay area that held multitudes of other ships, including several Albion military vessels. I wondered what they were doing in Athenia but knew we had to be on our toes. If we weren't…we could be arrested for being pirates or worse, we could be killed.

Finally, we docked our ship and a gangplank was dropped. Reaver was the first person off the ship because I was being flanked by my crew members who wanted their fair share of our last prize.

"Okay, okay, hold your horses," I snapped and then pointed to the door that led below deck, "Mr. Tillens will assist you."

There was a clambering of feet on the deck and before I knew it, there was only a few people milling around the deck. Reaver was already down on the dock, looking up at me expectantly.

"Well Pirate Princess, Athenia's waiting for us to indulge." He said and I felt a blush crawl up my cheeks. Pirate Princess? What an asshole…

I hurried down the plank and then looked around at the scene. Muscular men in thin shorts and women in scandalous dresses and saris lined the streets watching the ships, shopping and acknowledging the opposite sex with a batting of the eyelashes or a flex of the muscles. People selling items lined the streets and before I could say no, a weathered old man held out a monkey that resembled a Capuchin to me and had dropped it on my shoulder. It was only a baby I heard myself cooing.

The weathered old man grinned at the two of us, exposing his toothless mouth and held up a finger as if to prove a point. "Ah, baby monkey Kappa likes pretty lady."

"He's adorable," I agreed, the baby nuzzling my cheek with his head. This man was a bona fide salesman. He switched his fingers to an open palm and waited for the money.

"Fifty gold pieces please, Miss." He smiled wider and I knew I was caught. Sighing, I reached into my pocket for the money but Reaver beat me to the punch. His fingers dipped into his own money satchel and pulled out one hundred gold pieces. The man's eyes widened as Reaver dropped the money into the man's outstretched hands.

"Keep the change, my good man." He said and then pulled me away by the arm, barely holding onto my new pet. We wandered through the streets of the city, each turn holding a new surprise for us. Once, I saw a snake charmer and another time, I saw a woman cooking something that smelled deliciously like mango. There were street performers, shoppers, robbers, vendors, everything a girl could ever ask for!

As we walked I realized that my getup was extremely impractical. The great billowing shirt was too hot and I found myself sweating inside my corset and shoes. The hat I thought would provide shade actually reflected my body heat and soon, sweat was dripping into my eyes.

Reaver was obviously having the same problems because I could see the sweat clinging to his forehead. I smirked a little bit, not minding the heat so much anymore. We walked until the streets became less crowded and we began walking up stairs and around corridors to far nicer homes that actually had courtyards and fountains.

"Are we almost there?" I whined and Reaver cast a glance back at me like he couldn't be bothered by my whining.

"Actually, it's another three houses down to the right," He said stiffly, as if he was preparing himself for something…which he probably was. I wondered how the Count would respond to having this man whore in his household again.

Finally, we stopped outside a large three story estate that wrapped around a beautiful courtyard and Reaver rang a tasseled lever that struck a rather loud bell. Slowly, the door opened and a stunning young woman opened the door and her eyes widened.

"M-Master Reaver!" She gasped and her cheeks instantly went red. Obviously this was a woman that had fallen under Reaver's charms. He smiled coyly at the young woman who cast her eyes down, "We weren't expecting you back for…" Her eyes suddenly fell on me and they narrowed considerably. "Who is this?"

"My traveling companion, unfortunately." He said simply and stepped into the dim house. For a second, the woman looked like she was going to close the door on my face but I quickly stepped in behind Reaver. "Is Ivan in?"

The young lady nodded her head slightly and then turned to leave but not before Reaver gave her a rather swift slap on the rear! The woman's eyes went wide and if possible, her face turned even redder and she giggled as she ran off.

I turned to face him and my features twisted into disdain, "You're disgusting." I pointed out and he smirked.

"You're prude but I'm not complaining." He dished it back out and the young woman popped her head around the corner again.

"The Count will see you now," She said, gave Reaver one more seductive look under her eyelashes and then hurried away. I could tell from the look on Reaver's face that she would probably be his conquest that evening. I shuttered in disgust but followed Reaver down the hallway into a large space that was dominated by women in suggestive outfits and one man lounging around on a pillow. A group of female musicians sat, playing a tune that could have come out of a porno. In the corner, two women were seriously getting it on and I had to avert my eyes to keep from throwing up.

The man in the room clapped his hands and all the activity in the room stopped, including the two women who were about to get in each other's saris any second. His eyes turned to Reaver and I saw, for a split second, a look of hostility cross his features. However, these were quickly replaced with friendliness. He was a handsome man with sharp features and creamy skin. He wore his hair back in a ponytail and wore an open white shirt, exposing his abs.

"Reaver! My old friend! How are you?" He stood up and shooed the women away who tried to help him stand. They embraced slightly and when they released each other, his eyes turned to me and caressed my whole body, "And who is this…delightful creature?"

"My traveling partner, Captain Rosie Sharpp," Reaver's tone of voice was ever so slightly taut as the count continued to look at me.

"Tell me, Miss Sharpp," He purred taking a step closer to me, "How are you enjoying our fair Athenia?"

I hesitated, "Well, it's certainly like nothing I've ever seen before," I admitted and he chuckled slightly.

"I would love to give you a full tour of it myself in the near future."

Reaver stepped in before any more could be said and then cleared his throat, "Actually, we were just stopping to restock our ships and rest for a few days before moving onto our next destination."

The count crossed his hands over his chest and arched an eyebrow, "And where is your next destination, my friend?"

"We go wherever the ships are thickest, as you know already Ivan," He said stiffly. This conversation was heading into dangerous waters. "We ARE pirates, of course."

"Of course," he mused before glancing to the women who were now standing against the wall, "Take Miss Sharpp to the Sanctuary and send my wife. I'm sure she would like to see her favorite pirate captain once again."

Reaver laughed slightly but the noise was strained, "And how is my dear Zephyr doing?"

"She is quite well after…what happened last time…" The concubines (which I was guessing they were) led me out of the room and down the hallway, across the great courtyard and finally, to a pair of gilded double doors that opened slowly.

Inside, were a great number of women who were wearing varying degrees of clothing. Some were even changing into things that looked like swimsuits. All were laughing and talking. However, one certain one caught my attention.

She was far more beautiful and exotic looking than the rest with thick blonde hair that fell down her back in a braid, ivory colored skin and ice blue eyes. She was wearing the most clothing and was tending to a little girl who looked like her with her father's brown eyes. Instantly, I knew that this was the count's wife, Zephyr.

She looked up and our eyes met. She smiled thinly at me and then went back to tending her daughter. Someone touched my shoulder and I turned to see a humble looking woman who might have been the same age as me when I had stopped aging.

"Did you really come with Captain Reaver?" She asked me in accented English and I nodded slowly.

"I did indeed," I said simply and the women in the room stopped what they were doing to look at me suspiciously.

The girl giggled and then lowered her eyes, "Is he really as amazing as they say? In bed, I mean. I've heard of his great stamina and his…"

"Stop, stop!" I commanded, holding up a hand to my throbbing head, "Look, I haven't slept with the guy! I mean, I did a really long time ago but I don't remember much about it."

"You claim to be sailing with the pirate Reaver but have not been to bed with him?" The blonde woman asked coldly and I rolled my eyes.

"No, I think he's gross and disgusting and he uses more tricks than a used car salesman!" I snapped and blonde furrowed her eyebrows and cocked her head. Whoops.

"What's a car?" She asked and I felt my cheeks flush.

"Never mind. Anyway, I would never sleep with him," I responded, crossing my arms over my chest. "What is this place, anyway?"

The blonde relaxed noticeably and began speaking, "This is my husband's own personal harem," She said with disdain, "The women were either bought, won or came into his services on their own terms. I am his wife, Zephyr."

"Nice to meet you," I responded and looked around the brothel. There was probably about thirty or forty girls in the room, all different ages. "So…what's your history with Reaver?"

Zephyr's eyes grew fond and she smiled wistfully, "Reaver and I had a…complicated history. He came about three years ago and swept me off my feet. Needless to say that Ivan found out about our relationship and told Reaver never to come back."

"But he's here," I pointed out and Zephyr opened one eye.

"And he probably won't be here for much longer." Zephyr said before one of the concubines tapped Zephyr on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear, "And he wants to see me right now…" She smiled once again at me and then was gone in a whirl of sandalwood and mango.

I turned back to the rest of the women who stood in their little clusters talking. The one who had approached me first held up a scandalous black thing that appeared to be a swimsuit. I drew back, repulsed by the lace and sheerness of it all.

"What the hell is that?" I demanded as it was thrown at me.

The girl rolled her eyes and promptly stripped down to her birthday suit and pulled on her own swimsuit that was even more scandalous than mine.

"It's obviously a swimming garment." She told me matter of factly, "We're going to go down to the beach and swimming."

I wrinkled my nose and held the swimsuit at arm's length, "Don't you guys have like a changing room or something?" I asked with disdain and she pointed towards a door that led to…somewhere. I held the bathing suit to my chest and raced to the door before yanking it open and tumbling in on a rather fancy dressing room that was gilded like the rest of the harem. I wrinkled my nose and then shrugged off the attire I had come from and slid into the slinky black ensemble that I was supposedly supposed to wear down to the water.

"Ah, shit…Ah fuck…" I swore under my breath, tugging on the very revealing attire before stepping out of the dressing room. The girl cocked her head and then smiled sadly.

"It's too bad you don't have a very nice body," She commented and I felt my cheeks heat up. Today was a day that I, Rosie, would be blushing a lot.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," I scowled and the girl, seeming oblivious to my antics, turned and the rest of the scantily clad women who looked like they were ready for a day on the beach. I groaned inwardly and had no other choice but to don on a sarong and follow them out of the harem.

Let me be the first to tell you, the beach wasn't half bad. There were quite a few people there and the arrival of 40 hot girls (plus one pasty fatty who apparently didn't have the body to wear the suit) caught the attention of every man on the beach. It was like being on Earth again…It was nice. I found myself more or less sunbathing most of the time but watched the game of ball that the concubines had started with some of the other beach goers.

I looked farther down the beach and saw some of the women who were making a game out of the waves touching their feet, like I used to do when I was a kid. I smiled and leaned back down into the sand and closed my eyes, enjoying the heat on my back. The lull of the ocean made me tired and when I got tired, I usually fell asleep…

It took me three minutes and I was out like a light.

When I awoke again, I was on my front and one of the women was shaking me. Everything hurt and I knew that I was sunburned. I groaned and sat up, and the woman clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.

"It's not funny," I groaned and stood up slowly, walking with my arms out to the sides to avoid contact with my body.

"We need to go back to the house for the party," She said and picked up the sarong that I had been using as a beach towel, "Find you something for that nasty sunburn."

"Sounds like the best thing I've heard all day," I whimpered and groaned as we began to walk up the hill towards Athenia.

Finally, we made it back to the house and had to avoid being seen by moving through the servant's quarters. I caught neither head nor tail of Reaver but that was alright by me. Hopefully, he was drunk and I could leave him to whatever Ivan had planned for him.

The brothel was buzzing with women getting ready for whatever party was about to take place and someone through another piece of clothing in my hands and a bottle of something that smelled like lemons.

"Spray this on your skin and wait for about ten minutes," The concubine instructed, "Then wash it off."

"Sounds like a plan," I mumbled and was helped out of the swimsuit. Then, someone sprayed me down with the lemony stuff that stung at first but then calmed the skin, and was told to wait ten embarrassing minutes of sitting on a couch, completely naked, the concubines giggling at my uncomfortable stature.

Finally, after the lemony aroma had disappeared and was left with a bitter smell, I washed it off and was left with a beautiful tan that accentuated my green eyes and the salt water had dried my hair into beachy waves. My favorable freckles stood out against my skin and I smiled at myself in the mirror, wondering how that a pasty creature could get this nice of a tan from a bottle!

I quickly slipped the slinky dress over my head and then allowed the concubines to adjust the dress to cover what the dress was made to cover…which wasn't a lot. The dress resembled something a Greek goddess might wear. It was long in the back and super short in the front with pleats. It was a light blue color, like the ocean and was trimmed with gold. The whole dress was layered with ruffles and the straps were thick and jutted down, exposing a large expanse of tanned chest.

"Um…It's nice?" I questioned and Zephyr glided into the room in her own beautiful peach colored gown carrying an array of beautiful topaz jewelry.

"You can't possibly go to the party with just a dress." She said and laid the jewelry out for me to see. There was a gold necklace that was dripping with crystals and topaz, anklets, bracelets, a belt, and head ornaments.

"Wow…They're a little…gorgeous," I breathed and traced my hands all over the gems like some adolescent boy did to his date's curves.

"Come," She said grabbing my hand and smiling, "I'll help you with your hair and makeup."

Zephyr led me to a vanity that wasn't occupied and sat me down and tried to make do with my unruly waves, teasing it and in general making them look less like the mess that I usually just tied out of my way. Finally, she had transformed my hair into something that looked like it belonged on the cover of Vogue. Most of the waves had been pinned back from my face and a thick braid held them back like a headband. Delicate curls framed my face and I had done my makeup with a heavier hand than what I was used to.

"The final touch," Zephyr placed the headpiece on my hair and the topaz glittered in the dim light. I touched the delicate chains of the piece and looked at Zephyr.

"I look like a princess," I whispered and Zephyr smiled kindly.

"Of course you do." She said, touching my face. Suddenly, her daughter rushed into the room and squealed happily.

"MOMMY!" She cried and launched herself into her mother's arms. Zephyr laughed and grabbed the slight little girl and swung her around the room.

"Are you excited for the party, Hestia?" She asked as the little girl nuzzled into her mother's neck. She too wore a dress very similar to mine but it was green and longer and collected around her gullet, her arms dripping with emeralds.

"Yes, of course Mommy," She said, her eyes never leaving mine. She smiled at me, revealing a gap toothed mouth, "Do you have a monkey?"

I cocked my head slightly and smiled, "Yes I do, actually."

The little girl's smile widened and she allowed something that had been hiding in her luscious blonde hair to come out of it. Of course, it was the monkey that Reaver had bought for me!

"You little devil!" I cried as the monkey slipped down her arm to mine. He gave me a tooth grin and then curled up on my shoulder, watching the little girl with beady eyes. She laughed and then turned her eyes to mine.

"He should be named after my grandpa," She stated, "Will you name him Osiris?"

The name stirred something in my mind but I nodded as I pried the little hands off my earring. "Osiris it is."

Zephyr sat her down on the floor and then looked around the harem. Most of the women had already exited and so, smiling, she took me by the hand and the three of us strolled down into the courtyard that was alive with men and women in fancy dress but only one man caught my eye, unfortunately.

Reaver had opted for a pair of black pants with shiny boots and a white shirt that showed off his delicious muscles. His hair was perfectly sculpted and his blue eyes were sly and twinkling as he entertained a group of concubines with stories of his acts of piracy. Suddenly, his eyes landed on mine and I froze like a deer in the headlights. His dark green orbs drank in my dress and I saw a smirk crawl up his lips. I blushed slightly and then felt a hand on my left hip.

I turned sharply to snap at someone but it died in my throat as I saw Ivan looking extremely handsome in a tunic and black pants.

"You look beautiful, Miss Sharpp," He said and nodded to his wife who gave him a sharp, curt bob of her head. Even her daughter, Hestia had gone silent. "Might I request your presence in my private quarters?"

"Um…Sure, I guess," I responded and followed the Count through the throngs of people who laughed and drank. Music floated above the heads of the crowds as we moved between tables of food and wine and more people.

We finally stepped over the threshold of the Count's study and he sat down behind a desk and poured himself something out of a clear decanter. "I did really mean what I said. You look amazing…even more so than my wife."

"Well, thank you." I said, smiling uncomfortably, "But it was your wife who did my hair."

He leaned forward and offered me a glass of whatever the stuff was which I took with hesitant hands.

"She is old and I want someone new and fresh," He responded with a dramatic wave of his hand, "Someone like say…you."

I choked on my drink, causing it to go up my nose. "What are you saying?" I demanded, wincing at the burning sensation that now flooded my sinuses.

He smirked and then pulled something out of his desk. It was a scroll that was bound with something that looked like hemp. Slowly, Ivan unrolled the scroll and it rolled across the table and with horror, I realized that what he held was a receipt.

"You, Miss Sharpp are now my property to do with as I please. I bought you from Captain Reaver earlier this afternoon for the high price of 800,000 pieces of gold." He rolled up the scroll and then as quick as a snake, snapped his hands across the desk and grabbed both my wrists tightly.

"You're hurting me, you asshole!" I yelled angrily but he held fast and yanked me across the desk, pinning me down. I struggled for all I was worth but even then I couldn't escape his iron grip! When I got out of this, I was going to slit Reaver's throat!

"Now that you are officially MY property," He grunted, pinning my flailing leg to the ground with his knee to keep it from going into unwanted areas, "I can do whatever I want to you and that means that I am going to abuse you and take you for everything you're worth."

His hand slowly caressed my thigh and began moving farther inward as he kissed my face, his beard tickling my skin as he went along.

"Oh yes…you're going to be a fun one to break…I've never bedded a female pirate but Reaver has told me stories of when you were young…GAH!"

I pulled my shiv out of his stomach and was proud to see the blade was coated in red all the way up to the handle. Ivan looked at me in horror and I smirked at him as he fell to the floor, the front of his tunic quickly turning crimson.

"Try to do that with me again and I'll put this somewhere else that you might find essential to your pleasure of the female genitalia." I snapped and wiped the blade on the hem of my beautiful dress. Before I could do anything else however, I watched in horror as Ivan crawled to the window and with a wave of his hand, opened it.

"Help!" He yelled, "There are pirates here and they're trying to rob my guests!"

Realizing that he was trying to get the attention of what I realized were Albion soldiers who had been standing below the window, I jumped over the desk, grabbed the glass decanter and quickly smashed it over his head. The Count slumped to the ground and I raced to the door and burst into the courtyard. The party was still going in full force but now more people were obviously drunk. I slammed into guests and raced past the concubines that cried in horror when they saw the telltale crimson on my sky blue dress.

I shoved into the entryway but it was already crawling with Albion soldiers and so I had to book it towards the nearest window. I looked down onto the quaint cobblestone streets and hoped the monkey that was nowhere to be seen would be safe with Hestia and Zephyr.

"There's one there!" A guard cried and I swore profusely and looked around to see if I could find something to jump onto.

CRACK!

"Son of a bitch!" I swore angrily as the bullet tore through my shoulder and pain blossomed in my body. I quickly saw my method of escape and jumped onto the colorful tent roof and managed to jump to the pavement before crashing into a building with my bad shoulder. My eyes teared up but I had to keep running. I heard the guards crashing down the streets and I gripped my lame shoulder and hurried to the docks.

I ran past groups of people still out enjoying the night air and the laughter drifted through the breeze mocked me and my throbbing shoulder. I stumbled past a group that gasped when they saw my tattered dress but finally, I burst out onto the docks and saw…

My ship leaving without me!

Reaver's name was cursed to the lowest pits of Hell by my dear mouth as I dove into the water and inhaled a bunch of salt water as I gasped.

I flipped over on my back and began kicking for all I was worth out to the ship which fortunately, wasn't out very far. Finally, I reached the side of it and screamed up, "GET ME OUT OF THIS WATER SO I CAN KILL THAT BASTARD!"

A rope was thrown over the side and I grasped it with my good arm and the crew slowly drew me up. When I landed on the deck, I knew something was up. This was my crew but their faces were downcast and Reaver was at the helm, looking down at me like a cat that just caught a pretty little bird in a gilded blue dress.

"Welcome aboard the good ship _Content,_ my little minx." He said as reluctantly, my crew pulled out their pistols and aimed them at my head, "And since you are on my ship, I believe that you are now my prisoner."

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><p><strong>Reviews are necessary. Hop to it.<strong>


	12. Captive to Lust

**As always, I don't own Reaver nor do I own Albion. I wish I did but I don't. Anyway, reviews are appreciated and much needed to keep a starving writer alive. It IS her bread and butter, after all! **  
><strong>(P.S. Please don't use this story idea in your stories! I've been seeing a lot of pirate queens popping up all over Albion, claiming immortality and Reaver's heart! Please stick to your original story ideas and the world will be a much happier place without copies of all the same stories)<strong>

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><p><em>The dog days are over, the dog days are done,<em>  
><em>Can you hear the horse coming? <em>  
><em>So you'd better run...<em>

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><p>I felt my face pale and my palms start sweating. No way was this happening. I stood up but instantly felt my body sway from the amount of pain blossoming in my shoulder and staggered over to Reaver.<p>

"W-what do you mean?" I gasped and tried to calm my shaking body, difficult with the amount of blood seeping through my fingers. It landed on the deck as gently as butterfly feet.

He tapped his Dragonstomper against his lips and gave a little smirk, "Well, I do believe you are technically the property of the count back in Athenia, since I sold you to him for the modest price of 800,000 pieces of gold…but he just HAD to have someone from a different world."

The moment I heard these words, all the pain in my shoulder vanished and I stood to my feet and lunged at Reaver! However, the crew was there and they grabbed my arms, making me cry out in pain as they pulled back on my injured shoulder. The deviant bastard made a tsk-tsk noise and arched an eyebrow.

"It seems our little prisoner has injured herself in her escape." He chuckled and motioned to Hytachi who nodded and helped me up gently, his eyes full of anger and bitterness towards the pirate lord.

"Don't do this," I murmured through gritted teeth, "Stand up to him! This is my ship and I am still your captain!"

"You've already hurt yourself enough, Rosie-San," He whispered back and helped me over to the captain's cabin. Perhaps I would still be able to be inside my cabin with my things and bed and…

No. At the last moment, he steered me down towards the underbelly of the ship and I knew that I would be treated like a bona fide prisoner, complete with a one way ticket to the brig. I began to struggle against Hytachi but the doctor seemed to be stronger than he really was. "No…No, please! You can't do this!" I whipped around to see Reaver watching me with his cold, green eyes that glittered like a snake's. "I'm the captain of this ship! You can't tell me what I can and can't do!"

A hand sneaked out and caught me across the cheek. The sharp sting was instantly replaced by a numbing sensation and I felt tears spring into my eyes. But I couldn't cry in front of this bastard.

"You're just lucky I haven't turned around and returned you right back to the count." Reaver said, drawing me out of my stupor. I turned my head towards him and I saw him smiling at me coldly.

I made another lunge for him and started spewing nonsense.

"You motherless son of a bitch! You man whore! I hate you! I hope you sleep with some bitch and she gives you gangrene! I hope your penis falls off and you die alone and miserable!" I screamed as several crew members grabbed my arms and started pulling me down towards the brig…and my new life.

I still fought them even as they pulled me away. They led me through the galley and through the moist corridors that creaked angrily. When they threw me into the cold metal cell, I started yelling at them and cursing them and the mothers that had birthed them. The only person who came into the cell with me was Hytachi. My dress that had looked so beautiful not too long ago was decaying under my fingers, reek with salt water and sweat. I swatted Hytachi's attempts to grab my arm until he shoved a thumb into the red exposed skin that was right next to the wound.

I screamed bloody murder and fell back against the cell, finally crying. I wept as he took out the bullet with a pair of tweezers and I sobbed when he stitched it back up and wrapped my shoulder in bandages.

"Rosie-San…hush my little one…" he murmured and pulled me in a hug. I clung to him and shook under the strain of my sobs. I don't know how long we sat there but I did finally fall asleep in his arms. Even though I was a girl who had just gotten shot, was now locked in the brig of her own ship and was under the thumb of a motherless man whore, I felt safe. I had a feeling that it would be the last time I felt safe in a long while.

* * *

><p>I opened my salt crusted eyes to blinding light and groaned. I was still in the brig and in my disgusting dress from Athenia. My shoulder hurt so badly I felt like I might die. I could barely move without screaming in pain.<p>

"Good morning, Rosie!" Came a cheery voice that made me groan even louder, "It's your dream come true."

I rolled over to see the perfect face of my archenemy and shielded my eyes, "And here I was thinking I was in a nightmare."

"You're hilarious. Come on, get up! You have a big day ahead of you serving me." Reaver said as a crewmember unlocked the door and grabbed my wrists, allowing another man to shackle my wrists together. The first one helped me stand and I winced. I was about as shaky as a newborn colt. The man gave me a shove and I stumbled forward, my shackled hands landing on Reaver's perfect chest. He looked down at me and gave me a little smirk. "We'll have more time for that later, my little minx."

"Bite me," I spat angrily but there was no denying that my heart had given a little lurch when he said that. Good God, what was wrong with me? I now had the hots for the man who had put me in my confinement? "And while you're at it, give me back my ship and get the hell away from me. You're nothing but poison."

"Only the best type of poison for you, Rosie." He said with a wink, "The kind that steals everything away, leaves you feeling rendered helpless, gives you a false sense of hope at the very climax and then kills mercilessly. That's what sort of poison I am."

I looked at him for a long time, trying to keep the word vomit I had trapped behind clenched behind gritted teeth. As soon as he was confident I wasn't going to say anything else, he snapped his fingers under my nose and the men grabbed my wrists. "The girl looks like she could use a little time inside," he said, "Put her to work in the kitchen after she's grabbed some breakfast."

"Oh no…not again…" I mumbled, feeling a sense of déjà vu coming on. He would have me cleaning pots and pans again, like he had me do during our first meeting so long ago. They shoved me forward and I fell to my knees, getting splinters in them. My hair was disgusting and foul and my dress was a tattered mess as I dutifully took my rations and shuffled to the seat farthest away. The crew wasn't allowed to look at me it turned out. Nobody wanted to sit next to an annexed captain anyway.

I took small bites of my meat and biscuit and tried my hardest not to cry. Slowly, the crew filed out of the kitchen and towards their duties and I was left alone with the cook who gave me a sad smile.

"I'm so sorry about this, Miss Sharpp." He whispered and unlocked my cuffs. I rubbed my wrists and looked at him under tear stained lashes.

"Call me Rosie." I said softly, "I'm nothing again. Just a girl who doesn't belong on the water."

The cook grabbed my hands and looked at me in the eye, "Don't ever say that," He scolded, "You are a goddess of the water, Avo's unbridled instrument. He's just put another stubborn, strong willed creature in your path."

I gave him a watery smile as he put a cloth in my hand, "I'll have the cabin boys take the big cauldrons. You're too big to fit in them anyway." He gave me one last wink, slipped me a slice of mango and then moved on to start working on lunch. I looked down at the perfect piece of fruit so amazing in my dirty hands and then smiled to myself slightly. Perhaps…all hope was not lost after all.

I spent the morning working on the pots and pans, the afternoon cleaning out my (I mean Reaver's) cabin that was filled with empty goblets, wine bottles and surprisingly enough, simple dresses which I hung up in the wardrobe.

I shuffled about my duties for the day slowly but with a purpose. I knew that somewhere, there would be a silver lining. However, wherever it was, it needed to hurry up and get here. I was really sick of waiting on Reaver.

Afternoon turned into evening as I stood up and winced, my back killing me. I had just spent three hours washing and scrubbing the deck until the setting sun gleamed against the deck. Reaver had watched me the whole time, drinking wine and eating grapes and mangos. My own mouth tasted sour due to the fact that I hadn't brushed my teeth in almost 48 hours. My neck was sunburned and my shoulder throbbed dully. Hair that had been so carefully put up 24 hours ago hung limp and dirty around my face and my whole body ached and smelled of sweat. All I really wanted to do was jump into the sea below and go back to my world…I hadn't thought about it in months.

I wondered how everyone was doing. My parents were probably dead or close to it and I'm sure Kristen and Nate had gotten married, then divorced and had forced their three kids to move around until they were eighteen. That thought made me smirk and scrub the deck even harder. Ah…if only I could see their faces again. NOT!

"Let's get to it, my little minx!" Reaver called from the starboard of the ship and I turned my head slowly and glared at him.

"If you want the job done so quickly, I invite you to pick up a mop and help me." I sneered and expected for my head to blown off but Reaver must have been in a forgiving mood. He waved a hand to ward off the words and then gave me a wicked little half smile.

"I fear not, my dear. I seem to remember that's why I took you as my captive. And as my captive, you are to do what I ask. Like join me in my cabin tonight for dinner. I expect you to be in looking your best."

I sighed and leaned against my mop, "If I remember correctly, you took my cabin and all my belongings. The only thing I have on my person right now is this ridiculous dress and a mop."

"Well, this does pose a bit of problem," Reaver said, as if the thought had just hit him, "I'll tell you what. Tonight, you can bathe and I'll have one of the crew bring you your belongings after you exit the bath. How does that sound?"

A bath sounded heavenly. New clothes sounded like paradise and a real meal, like the kind I was used to made me salivate. However, I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. I cocked a hip and then smirked.

"What? This dress isn't good enough for the great pirate lord Reaver?" I asked and he slowly sauntered over to the helm and peered down at me with something that might have been pity.

"I will give you two choices, my dear Rosie. One, you will come in the clothes that I send down to you or option two, you come stark naked. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

I felt myself blush but turned my cheek to rub at the deck. When I didn't answer, Reaver chuckled and then moved back towards where he was sitting.

"That's what I thought. Eight o' clock sharp, Rosie. If you're late, I'll kill your doctor."

Eight came far too soon and I held a tray of food in one hand along with a crew member. My hair had been freshly braided in a fishtail braid and I wore no makeup. The outfit Reaver had sent down was practical with a pair of black pants, comfortable boots, a black corset, and a cream colored shirt that was billowy. I was thankful to be back in my normal garb but missed my normal red jacket with silver trim with a hat.

I knocked on the door and I received the okay to open the door, which I did slowly. There, in all his glory, sat the king of thieves himself, toying with his Dragonstomper .48. He looked up to see me come in and the crew member, a young man who I had never really had any contact with, hurried in, dropped Reaver's plate in front of him and hurried out the door.

"It's wonderful to see you Rosie." He said before slipping the gun into the holster and looked at my outfit. "You look amazing in a dress, but it takes a real woman to pull off a pair of pants."

I cocked a hip and arched an eyebrow, "Are we here to eat or complement one another until the earth turns to dust around us?"

He met my arch with one of his own, "We do have all the time in the world, my little minx." He reminded me as I sat down across from him.

"Ah yes, how could I possibly forget? We are both gifted with the gift of immortality. Such an honor to be spending eternity with you, Reaver." I raised a glass to him and drained the wine in one gulp before diving into the food. Ah, what splendor! As I inhaled my meal, I heard Reaver lean in and begin talking.

"I wouldn't want to spend it with anyone else, my sweet." He said, toying with the edge of his goblet. Before I could protest, he quickly refilled my own cup and I took a moment to breath.

"So…" I began, toying with the edge of the tablecloth, "What's going on? One minute, I'm in the brig, the next, I'm doing house chores, and the next, I'm sitting at your table in my old quarters. I am getting mixed messages from you."

Reaver took a moment to dive into his own skillfully prepared meal and a moment of silence passed between us. Finally, we both pulled away and he began speaking again.

"I believe that relations between us have been…strained lately." He said, leaning back, nursing a glass of wine. I snorted and leaned forward, putting my elbows on the table.

"Even on the best of days we had no real relationship, Reaver." I pointed out, plucking a crumb off my plate and sticking it between my lips. "Just a hatred for the other. Let's face it. We're just not compatible. I personally think we should go our separate ways…but that's just my humble opinion."

Reaver smirked, "But I still haven't taken you yet, my dear. No woman ever goes this long without resisting my temptations."

"Guess what? I'm not going to fall to your petty attempts to seduce me. You may think I am but I'm better than those half-priced whores and stupid women in Athenia. I've been avoiding your seduction since day one in Albion."

He drank from his goblet again and then looked at me with those cold green eyes, unforgiving and cold as the sea. "Don't you remember, my dear? You slept with me to save the life of the man who betrayed you. What was his name again?"

"Delaney," I snapped and then pointed an accusing finger at him, "And if I remember correctly, YOU were the one who put him up to it to sleep with me!"

Reaver pursed his lips and smirked slightly, "Guilty as charged, my little minx."

I stood up suddenly and drained the rest of my goblet. I had always been a lightweight and the alcohol was making my head spin slightly. "If all you're going to do is remind me of my past mistakes, then I must ask you let me leave you and go back to wherever you put me tonight," I said sarcastically and I was surprised that Reaver didn't pull out a gun and aim it at my head.

"I did not invite you here to remind you of what could have been," He said, his voice steady and strong, "I invited you here to dine with me and then perhaps…other activities may follow." I could see it in his eyes. He wanted me. A woman had never put off his advanced this long and Reaver hated it.

I gave him a bitter smile and then turned on my heel, "The second you look at me like a real human being instead of a piece of meat, we can talk. Until that time comes…"

However, before I could do anything else, Reaver took two strides towards me, grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward.

"I am not a man known for patience, Rosie," He whispered, "You have put me off for far too long and I've seen the way you react around me. Your lips say no but your body screams yes. How long has it been since you had a man in your bed?"

"I…I…" I began but the words wouldn't come to my mouth. Reaver leaned down and just barely brushed his lips against mine, silky soft on chapped and dried.

"Give into me, Rosie. I know you want to. I will be your greatest adventure."

My body was giving into him. I couldn't fight because my brain was fried. Someone help me please! It was then I realized something. Reaver was heroin and I was a junkie. That first meeting so long ago was my first taste of that seductive drug and since then, I had craved it. I had wanted him so badly. Who was I to deny my addiction any longer?

However, I knew if I gave into my deepest desires, like a drug addict, I would go into relapse. But I couldn't think…I couldn't feel…All I wanted was his lips to crash down on mine like the ocean. So, without another thought to drugs or Reaver, I reached up and brushed my lips against his.

"I want what you have to offer," I murmured against his skin and I felt his mouth turn up into a smirk.

"That's my girl," was the last thing he said before he pulled me down into my blissful dream. His lips crushed mine in a bruising kiss and he wrapped his arms around my waist. I responded by reaching around and fusing my fingers into his perfect locks of hair.

The kiss tasted like wine, sea and surprisingly, fire. Every pent up emotion that had flooded through my body in the past week was released as he pulled me closer to him, his hands traveling down my curves and resting on my thigh. I wrapped a leg around his waist and he grabbed my hips possessively. Suddenly, his perfect white teeth had bared down on my lower lip and I gasped in surprise.

Reaver took this opportunity to slide his tongue into my mouth and plunder it, quickly dominating my own with his vast amounts of skill that he had acquired from three hundred years of practice.

Every nerve ending was on fire! I felt like I was going to burn up if I wasn't careful and 35 years without making out made me a bit ignorant to his tricks and graces.

Slowly, our kissed became less needy and more intimate. We explored the other's mouths carefully, mapping out every perfection (imperfection in my case) before I felt Reaver's hands at the hem of my shirt, ready to rip it off. I pulled away sharply and looked at him with surprise.

"What are you doing?" I asked, prying his fingers from my shirt.

"What does it look like I'm doing, love? I want your clothes disposed of so I can ravish your body in every way possible. Now calm down so we can enjoy this." He said, kissing my jaw and neck.

Of course he would remember that my neck was sensitive to his kisses and I felt myself falling for his charms quickly. My shirt was gone in thirty seconds flat and I was left in my corset, pants and boots. His fingers fumbled at the back of my corset and I heard him breathing heavily.

"Blasted things are so difficult to get off," He mumbled before I brushed his fingers away. He looked back at me, his eyes heavy lidded in lust. We were both breathing quickly and heavily and I pressed a lock of hair out of my eyes to look at him.

"No Reaver," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking, "I can't…not now."

Reaver took a step back and looked at me, his eyes quickly sobering up. "What do you mean by that?" He asked coldly as I turned away and blushed.

"Not now," I said, sharper this time, "I don't feel like it's the right time for that." It took all my willpower not to jump his skin and let him claim me as I knew he could.

He narrowed his eyes but then smiled at me. "Alright then, my little minx. But don't think that I haven't forgotten about the way your eyes looked when I kissed you. I am a pirate, love. I take what I want and right now, you're my conquest."

I grabbed my shirt and put it back over my body. "I thought the treasure was your conquest."

He wagged a finger in front of my face and arched an eyebrow. "It's only a secondary objective which will become my primary once I have you screaming my name."

I crossed my hands over my chest and leaned forward, "You'll know when the time's right. I'll make sure you're the first to know." I winked and turned to leave but Reaver grabbed my hand.

"Even though you refuse to share my bed with me in that sense," He began, "I must invite you to share my bed with me this evening."

"What are you implying?"

"Stay with me tonight. Knowing you, I would say you would rather sleep in your bed than on the floor of the brig again."

He was right and he knew it and so, surrendering my better judgment I reluctantly agreed. He gave me a lecherous grin and touched the handle of his gun.

"Perhaps we can see if another crew member would like to…"

"No."

"Well, you're no fun."

"Call me old fashioned," I said, sitting down at my chair, "But I'm not one for threesomes. Especially not in my cabin."

"It's not your cabin anymore, Rosie," He reminded me, dragging his chair over to the window and then motioning me to sit down in the other one.

"Don't remind me," I scoffed and moved over with a glass of wine. However, before I could sit down, he took my glass as quickly as a snake. "Hey!"

"Relax," he said and handed me a much smaller glass filled with brandy, "I prefer something harder before I fall asleep."

I took the glass without a comment and looked out the bay window, watching the waves reflect the stars. We sat in silence for a little while until I spoke. "Have you ever played 'Never Have I Ever'?"

Reaver gave me a look of surprise over his glass, "I can't say I've ever played that game. What is it?"

"Well," I began, "So if you haven't done something, you would say…Never have I ever done this thing. If the person has done the thing you've said, that person has to drink to that."

Reaver laughed good naturedly, "Rosie, you realize I am going to lose this very quickly?"

I shrugged and sipped my liquor, "You never know. I'm pretty creative in my questions. I used to play this game with my friends all the time when I lived back on Earth."

"Alright," he said and squared his shoulders, "Teach me your ways."

"Okay," I began. "Never have I ever…slept with a woman."

"That's just cheating," Reaver said and took a drink, "Never have I ever…fallen from the sky in a deliciously scandalous outfit."

"You're cruel," I grinned wickedly and took a drink. "Never have I ever…"

The game went on for about an hour and a half, each time we found stupider and stupider things to ask the other. Never have I ever danced on top of a bar in a pair of hot pink pants…Eaten human brains…You named it, we asked it.

Both of us rolled to the floor and were laughing to hard we couldn't stand up. For the first time since meeting Reaver, I found he actually had a sense of humor that didn't revolve around sex or drinking. Okay, maybe drinking a little bit.

I fell asleep on the floor. I didn't even realize that I had fallen asleep on the floor until I realized that I was dreaming.

_In my dream, I was wearing a beautiful green dress with lace trimmings and my hair was long and elaborately done. I was standing on a cliff, watching two men. One had the other held at gunpoint while the other retreated to the edge of the cliff. _

_ Rain lashed at my hair and wind whipped at my dress, sending green material into a frenzy. I don't know who the man on the edge of the cliff was but I knew who the second man, the one holding him at gunpoint was instantly. _

_ It was Reaver! _

_ "Stop it!" I screamed over the gale, "Stop it both of you! You cannot fight over me like some mere object!" _

_ The young man glanced at me and although I did not recognize his features, his face stirred a longing in me like none other. In his eyes, I could see love and hope but in Reaver's I could see rage and hurt, like I had betrayed him. _

_ "You must choose, Rosie," He snarled and thumbed back the hammer, "Me or him." _

_ I threw up my hands in defeat, "You know it will always be him." _

_ The bullet flew from Reaver's gun and hit the man straight between the eyes. Our eyes locked for a split second and I saw him spirit leave him. I screamed and then rushed towards him only to watch him fall off the cliff. Reaver watched me race towards him in silence and as soon as I realized that he had been lost to the steel waves below, I turned my gaze back towards Reaver. _

_ Tears mixed in with the rain that cascaded down my cheeks. _

_ "You're a monster!" I screamed and Reaver arched an eyebrow and then smirked. _

_ "Call me what you want but matter to be held, you are mine and no prince is going to get in the way of that." _

_ I stood up and then faced him down, "You killed the man I loved! I would rather die than ever do anything with you again." _

_ "So be it…There are other women in the world," He snarled and raised the gun, preparing to end my life. However, as soon as the bullet's crack echoed over the tempest, the world stopped and Theresa stood between me and the bullet. _

_ I was breathing heavily and under the rain and tears, I felt myself sweating profusely. _

_ "This is a vision my dear," She said, "of things to come if you do not succumb to Reaver. He will obsess over the one woman who has ever resisted his charms and now holds the same gift he does. At the end of time, which do you think he would rather have? A bunch of women who will die in the amount of time it takes him to blink or a woman who can share with him a secret?" _

_ "Who was that other man?" I asked my voice shaky and angry. _

_ "This is the man you are destined to be with," Theresa said simply, "The son of a great adventurer; you will capture his heart after many trials of his kingdom." _

_ "What's his name?" _

_ "You will find this out later rather than sooner. However, I cannot promise you that this fate will be reversed but for both our sakes, I certainly hope that this is not the future." She said simply before turning back. "You may leave now." _

_ She waved her hand in front of my face and I felt my eyes close and my body slump to the ground, my world once again coated in darkness._


	13. Worth It?

**Well, it's officially bedtime for your dear writer who's been writing three stories nonstop since about 5:00 this afternoon. Seven hours later, I am able to update two of my stories with 140 songs that have been playing the background. How did I get so many Japanese songs anyway?**

**Anyway, not the point. I apologize for this one not being as long but I'm saving more deliciousness for the upcoming chapters! It's going to be steamy and beautiful. You will all wet yourselves from awesomeness. **

**Hannah's tired and so she is off to bed. Please review. I do these late night stands for you guys so if you wouldn't mind sending a little love back and if you have suggestions on how to make the story better or flat out flames, by all means, let me have them. I roast marshmallows over the flames.**  
><strong>Oh yeah, Savannah Night, please make your story a bit more original. Other thing I'm going to say. Thanks to everyone who's read so far. 3<strong>

**Reaver, Albion (c) Lionhead **  
><strong>Rosie Sharpp (c) The flamboyant cuttlefish<strong>

* * *

><p><em>"Is it still me that makes you sweat?<em>  
><em>All I think about in bed?<em>  
><em>When the lights are dim and your hand is shaking as your sliding off your dress,<em>  
><em>I think of what you did,<em>  
><em>And how I hoped to God he was worth it, <em>  
><em>When the lights are dim and your heart is racing as your fingers touch your skin..."<em>

* * *

><p>I opened my eyes to a pounding headache and groaned. Light was streaming through the bay windows and for once in my life; I was awake and alive but far from enthusiastic. I sat up and squinted, trying to get over the pounding headache. Needless to say I was failing miserably. I slowly stood up but at that moment, the boat swayed to the side, and I went tumbling to the right, landing on the bed and onto a lump that moved slightly when I landed on it.<p>

"Oh, um…"I mumbled, realizing that there were two people in the bed. The first one flipped over and squinted at me and I realized it was a naked man, "Oh my Avo!" I yelped and jumped back as Reaver turned to give me a wicked grin.

"Coming to join us, my little minx?" He purred as I turned away, trying to hide my obvious embarrassment.

"No I am not coming to join you!" I hissed angrily and Reaver sighed as if my refusal had been the saddest thing he had ever heard in his life.

"Oh what a pity," He mused before throwing the sheets off of him and his bedmate who turned out to be a rather rosy cheeked youth that had joined us with Reaver's crew, "Aaron, you may be off now."

The young boy threw his legs over the bed and hurried to dress in his ragged trousers. As soon as he was out of the room, I looked over at Reaver who was looking longingly after his bedmate, "You have SEX when I'm lying on the floor incapacitated?" I yelled angrily as Reaver slowly stood up, his manly bits and pieces in their full glory. Oh yes. That man DID have several nice bits and pieces.

"Like you said, you were incapacitated." He said and looked at where my eyes where flicking to every now and then. He gave me another seductive grin and flipped a lock of hair out of his sea green eyes. "Do you like what you see?"

"I…um…" I mumbled, trying to clear my head, "I mean no! They're just…hanging there for the world to see! I don't need that sort of distraction!"

"I like to air out after a romp between the sheets. Keeps me in top shape for my next performance." He crossed his hands over his chest, arched an eyebrow and his smile became far more wicked, "Do you find me a distraction?"

I snorted and threw him his pants, "If I told you yes, would you stop trying to get me to sleep with you?"

He caught them without batting an eyelash and placed them down on the bed next to him. "Of course not, kitten! You are my spoil of war and as soon as you realize you're just denying yourself, I'll ravish you to the best of my ability."

I rolled my eyes and winced as the ship rolled to the side and I landed in his arms. Instantly, they were locked around my waist and his nose was in the crook of my neck, inhaling my scent. "I don't understand why you resist me so Rosie," He whispered as I struggled in his arms.

"Let me go Reaver," I grunted and tried to step on his toe until I froze. The seat of my pants was rubbing up against his manhood which I could now feel against my thigh. He sighed and pulled me in tighter.

"Don't tease me." He murmured and pushed my braid out of the way. He began kissing up my neck and my knees nearly gave out when I felt his right hand slide down my hip and rest on my thigh, "It's been so long since I've touched a woman as fiery as you, my sea goddess."

My struggles were getting less and less as his talented mouth slid up my jugular vein and planted kisses along my jawbone. Reaver's hand slowly crept towards my most secret place and as his thumb brushed the rough fabric that separated it from my pearl, I nearly collapsed in his arms. His left hand cupped my breast and kneaded it softly.

Breathy gasps that could have been words escaped my throat but I didn't know what they meant. All I knew was that this man had a mouth like magic and hands that knew the exact way to please a woman.

"R…Reaver…" I gasped, trying to keep naughty thoughts out of my head. Finally coming to the conclusion that was impossible, heat flooded through my veins and gathered at my core, causing me to writhe.

"What is it my pet?" He purred, his right hand dipping dangerously close to the button of my pants.

"I want…I want…" I whimpered but that was all I had to say. With one skilled hand, he had unbuttoned my trousers and slid a hand down my abdomen towards my most intimate place. I heard him groan softly as his fingers slipped between my folds and came into contact with the inflamed nub that greeted him. At this, I really did collapse in his arms as he slid a finger into my already soaked passage.

He kissed my neck and nipped at my earlobe but I was already in such ecstasy I could have been in the middle of a raging war and never would have noticed. He flexed it slightly and I gave a short gasp that enticed him to continue. He slowly brought another finger up to join the first and slowly began to take it out.

"Don't stop," I gasped as Reaver slammed his fingers back into me again and again and again. His thumb rubbed against my clit and I felt myself rising far quicker than I had during our first encounter so long ago.

"Rosie…Say my name…" he said huskily into my ear as I helplessly rode his fingers.

"R-Reaver…"

"That wasn't loud enough. Say my name again."

"Oh Avo…Reaver...REAVER!" I screamed as with one final thrust, my world shattered and I rode out an explosive orgasm. I almost slumped forward with his name still silently streaming from my lips as he caught me, slowly pulling his hand from my trousers.

Slowly, he brought his hand up and with a suggestive wink, licked off the moisture that lingered there.

"Sinfully delicious, my little minx." He said as rebuttoned my pants with shaky hands. He grabbed my arm and kissed me slowly on the mouth, placing his hand on the small of my back. I tasted myself on his lips and I slowly surrendered myself to the fact that I was in over my head and Reaver was my sea. I was addicted. He pulled away slowly and then cleared his throat, "Now since I've helped you, I would assume you would do the same for me."

I pulled away and glanced down at his obviously painful erection. I looked back up at him and a wicked grin tugged on my own lips before I reached out and slid my fingertips gently over his bulging manhood. The effects were instantaneous. He bucked his hips forward slightly and I clasped my hands around his length.

He grabbed my hair and crushed my lips with his as my hands slowly moved on their own accord. His manhood pulsed under my fingers as he slid his tongue into my mouth and dominated me instantly. Reaver moaned breathlessly into my mouth and I met his with my own. I angled my head to deepen the kiss and leaned forward, my hands still sliding up and down his thick organ.

I had given Nate handjobs but he for the most part had just laid their like a fish out of water. Reaver was responsive and wrapped his arms around my shoulders and drew me in closer. He enticed me.

I knew he was getting close to his climax as he began to buck his hips harder into my hands. I whimpered as he bit down on my lips and came into my hands. He rode out the orgasm and I felt myself trying to suppress my own sexual desires.

Reaver pulled away breathing heavily as I wiped my fingers on my shirt. However, before I could do that, he had my wrist in his hand and still had that wicked little glint in his eye.

"Lick it off," He growled possessively and I started to say something in protest but he would have none of it. So slowly, I brought my fingers to my lips and slowly, seductively licked my fingers off one by one. Heat pooled in my lower belly and I tried to keep my body from enjoying the taste of him and the fact that Reaver had started to get an erection again.

"Reaver…" I began as I brought my hand down and looked up at him through heavy lidded lashes, "I can't…"

He grabbed my hips possessively and ground his palm into the damp heat that radiated through my pants. I hissed in pleasure as he smirked.

"Oh but I think you can, my Rosie." He purred and his hands slowly went to my button and undid them. I didn't stop him as his fingers hooked through my panties and slowly slid them down around my ankles. He came back up and then undid my shirt, leaving my corset on. I felt like a child being undressed as he led me to the tangle of sheets that I had tried so hard to stay out of.

"Relax," He purred and kissed my shoulder and turned me around so I was below him before falling onto the plush mattress, his lips already capturing mine before falling back onto the bed. I whimpered and closed my eyes, a voice screaming at me to stop this madness. He was my worst enemy! My…desire.

"Reaver…" I murmured as he kissed my neck and collarbone.

"Say my name again, love." He purred into my ear before taking my earlobe between his sharp, perfect teeth.

"Reaver, don't tease me like this," I gasped, "We both know…"

"I know what you want, my dear," He whispered before pulling himself between my legs and teasingly rubbed his finger on my clit again.

Before I could do anything else, he slipped in and I arched my back. I wrapped my legs around him and pulled him down for a bone crushing kiss, grinding my hips against his.

He growled and with one move of my legs, I managed to use to my body weight to swing myself around so I was on top. I looked down at him and without taking my eyes off of his; I began to move my hips in circles, Reaver's fingers digging into the cloth.

"Am…I too much for you?" I gasped as I slammed my cervix down onto his and grinding my body against his.

"I've had better," He hissed back and I narrowed my eyes, trying to keep my mind on other things besides I was having sex with my worst enemy. Suddenly, my chin was captured by a hand and I turned to look at him. He was smirking and I knew exactly what he was going to say before he even said it, "Don't think. Let instincts guide you."

After I heard that, I closed my eyes, threw back my head and slammed my hips into him again and again. His hand possessively gripped my hips so tightly he drew blood. The back of my knees were getting sweaty and sweat dripped from my forehead and landed on his perfectly chiseled body. I placed my hands on his body and smashed into him until my world shattered around me.

I screamed his name as I arched my back and drank him in deeper. His fingers bruised me but I didn't mind. It just added to the pleasure I was feeling. I felt him shiver around me, a hiss escaped hip lips and his seed coated my womb.

Slowly, as if I was boneless, I slid off of him and fell onto the mattress. He wrapped an arm around my still spasming body and kissed my sweaty neck.

"Atta girl," He murmured sleepily into my matted hair as I swam in an ocean of regrets, pleasure and horror. I had one more mistake card. We had done it without a condom. What if I got pregnant with his child? God forbid!

"Here," He said as he rolled over and grabbed something out of a drawer and handed it to me. It was little leather pouch. I opened it slowly and saw that there were several dried flowers contained in the sack. "They're Blooming Children, designed to be eaten to ward off any little ones that might be making an appearance." He chuckled and patted my abdomen.

I groaned and closed my eyes, choosing to be silent. My head still pounded from the alcohol and our encounter and finally, after a few moments of silence that was as thick as molasses, I chose to speak. "I can't believe I did that."

"Did what my dear?"

I rolled over and faced him, arching an eyebrow, "I can't believe I had sex with you. I told myself I wasn't going to do that."

"We all have our weak moments love," he said, reaching forward and kissing my nose, "Now relax in bed. You can stay here and I'll send breakfast to you." He threw the blankets back and then stood up and proceeded to get dressed.

"What happened to being your prisoner?" I asked and he glanced back at me and smirked.

"And keep a beautiful woman like you locked away from the world? No. That would just be cruel." He winked at me, pulled on a black shirt and a pair of pants and was gone.

I rolled onto my back and tried to stave off the onslaught of tears that threatened to spill. I had done it again. I was weak and even I could admit that without sounding like a complete and utter whore. I took a shaky breath and threw off the bed covers to slide over to my wardrobe which hopefully held my coat and other attire that I would wear for the rest of the day.

When I reached into the dark unknown, I pulled out my sleeveless red coat with the silver stitching and matching hat and felt a grin cross my face. Quickly, I then pulled out a pair of black pants, fingerless gloves, belt, wrappings and a pair of boots. I once again felt like Rosie Sharpp, Pirate Queen and goddess of the water.

I tugged my unruly brown hair into a low pony and put my hat over the top of my head. I slipped my gloves on and flexed my fingers. Just my luck I began to feel human again.

My head was still spinning as I exited my cabin and winced in the bright sunlight. The deck was full of activity as I stepped out.

Hytachi was the first over and he scrutinized my face as I took a step out of the shadows onto the deck.

"Rosie-San, you are as pale as death itself." He said matter-of-factly as I waved him off.

"I need to talk to Reaver," I said, feeling the ship roll under my feet. I took a step forward and felt myself keel forward, my knees turn to rubber.

I fell to the deck and gasped as my injured shoulder hit the wooden planks. "Rosie!" He gasped and I winced. I hadn't taken off the corset I was wearing and I had a feeling this had something to do with the big gaping hole at my shoulder.

"You're burning up with fever," The doctor said somberly and I waved him off, trying to get to my feet.

"I…I'm fine. I just had a little too much to drink last night." I mumbled, trying to keep my head from spinning.

Hytachi ripped off my coat and then pulled down my corset to reveal a pus filled wound that oozed slightly in the sun. "It's infected," He said simply and helped me up. I leaned heavily on his shoulder and felt my world spin around me.

"I knew I should have applied more medicine," He said grimly and helped me back into my cabin. He helped me out of my clothes and wrapped a piece of cloth around my breasts to keep me decent.

"I slept with him," I whispered. Hytachi glanced down at me through his pea shaped glasses, "I slept with him and I LIKED it."

"Oh Rosie-San…" he murmured and slapped a cool washcloth onto my head, "That was not smart."

"But it was great," I said and fell back on the bed as he flipped me over to look at the wound. "I mean, I've never had such good sex before in my life!"

"Rosie-San, I think you're delirious," He said and I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to ward off the headaches that emerged with every beat of my heart. Silence enveloped us as he worked and several times, I drifted off into a fever induced coma.

Reaver popped in and out of my dreams several times, planting heated kisses against my lips to coax medicine down my throat. I wanted more but every time I would demand for more, he would slip away like smoke. Sometimes, I heard myself screaming and I couldn't control the sound that escaped me.

The fever took its toll on my body but my curse and blessing kept me alive and strong. I couldn't die. Not from something like this.

Slowly, the infection left my body and I awoke coated in a cold sweat in moonlight on the deck. My mouth felt like scorpions had been using it as a nest for a hundred years in the Sahara Desert and my head felt like it had been used as a turntable for some half rate DJ.

I sat up and looked over to see Reaver at the helm of the ship.

"Ah, my little minx awakens!" He said and turned towards me and quickly helped me sit up and drink down a little water. After I had managed to cough half of it back up, he helped me lay back down and spoke to me, "We did more research of the documents and found where the treasure may be."

"Oh?" I asked, horrified at how my voice sounded, "And where is that?"

He unrolled a map and tapped on a patch of ocean, "There is an island there that is unmarked. It is believed that creatures dwell on this island to protect something but nobody has come back alive."

I tried to sit up but Reaver shoved me back down, "You're willing to risk our lives on some island to find a treasure?"

"If its treasure, I will require it one way or another, my sweet," He said and I grunted, looking up at the moon.

"How did I end up out here?" I asked and Reaver followed my gaze up to the moon. "I thought I was in my bedroom."

"You were," He said, chuckling and moving back to the helm, "I brought you out here. I thought maybe the night air would break your fever better than those meds that the doctor was giving you and sure enough, as usual, I'm right."

"Don't you ever get tired of being right?" I grouched and Reaver chuckled and turned back to the helm, "where are we going?"

The wind ripped through Reaver's hair and made it stand up on end, "To the east, of course." He said gaily over the sound of the snapping sails, "we are going to the island."

"Cool we're going to Death Island," I said sarcastically, trying to get over the fact that we were indeed, headed to the east.

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><p><strong>So, if you liked it, I invite you to join me for tea and cookies in the reviewer's lounge by leaving me a fancyful review. <strong>

**Lyrics are Panic! At the Disco "Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can have Without Taking Off her Clothes"**


	14. Sunset Scotch

**Cheesy, cheesy chapter ahead. Reaver is WAAAAY OOC so if you're tweaky about that sort of stuff, don't be all like, "RAHHH! HE'S OUT OF CHARACTER!" (I will have to slit your throat with your own fingernails in your sleep if you do that.)**  
><strong>Like I said, this chapter is super cheesy and it's sort of filler chapter until we get to the good stuff in the next chapter. Although, this chapter isn't bad. If you like cheesy then by all means...do whatever you'd like with it.<strong>

**Reaver and Albion, as always belongs to Lionhead Studio**  
><strong>Rosie belongs to me.<strong>

**Songs (In order)**  
><strong>"Quiet"-Lights<strong>  
><strong>"No Light, No Light"-Florence + the Machine<strong>  
><strong>"I'll Always Return"-Bryan Adams<strong>

* * *

><p><em>I'm not yours, and you're not mine, <em>  
><em>But we can sit, and pass the time. <em>  
><em>No fighting wars, no ringing chimes, <em>  
><em>We're just feeling fine.<em>

* * *

><p>I fell back asleep on the cot that was laid out for me and only woke up as the sun was going down again. The ocean was stained crimson and gold and as still as a sheet of glass. I stood up and fought down the urge to vomit as I stumbled over to the steering column where someone besides Reaver was standing. It was an older sailor who gave me a thin lipped smile and nodded to me.<p>

"Where's Reaver?" I asked and the man pointed up to the crow's nest and at the leg that hung over and onto the net. I gave him my thanks and then meandered over to the netting that allowed sailors access to the nest. My arm was beyond numb but I had learned how to climb up netting with one arm and so I slowly hauled myself up until I sat next to the devious pirate lord. He gave me a look as I sat down next to him and he gave me a little smirk.

"You shouldn't be up here," he said matter-of-factly and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm full of surprises," I informed him and glanced down at the shot glass he had in one hand and the scotch bottle and the other, "where did you get that?"

"I found it in your cabin. You were dead to the world and so I thought you wouldn't have minded me raiding your stash of alcohol." He said and brandished another shot glass, "I thought you might come up here and join me."

"I have a gimp arm Reaver."

"Like you said, you're full of surprises."

I laughed and took the glass. He filled it up and I tilted my head back and swallowed the heated drink. It tasted like memories and regrets. Silence descended upon us as we finally found our standing ground that was the sunset. I leaned my head up against his shoulder and sighed audibly.

"I remember," I began, motioning for him to fill up the glass, "when I was a kid back in Oregon and my brother Seth and I would sit on the roof and take our parent's liquor and play stupid drinking games."

Reaver glanced at me and I felt the reverberation of his chuckle, "You got drunk with your brother?"

I looked at him and grinned widely, "You better believe I did. There is no better drinking partner than your own flesh and blood. Did you have any siblings?" I asked him but instantly regretted it. His demeanor darkened and he downed another shot.

"I don't like talking about my past, Rosie." He said and I knew that I was treading in shark infested waters. However, as soon as it had come, his face cleared again and he cleared his throat, "Tell me a little bit about YOUR childhood."

I pursed my lips and tried to think about it. I had held onto as many memories as I dared try but they always seemed to escape me. "Well…My mom's name was April and my dad was Walter. I grew up in a little coastal town and my brother was my best friend." I gave a breathy scoff and drank from my filled glass. "It always rained no matter what, but that was okay because it was our sunshine. I went to this stupid elementary school where girls teased me and I ended up having to go to the next town over to go to school until high school when we all met up again. Avo, they hated me with a passion. There was one girl named Megan who was Satan's daughter."

"Go on," he said and began nursing the bottle.

"She was the main reason I couldn't get a boyfriend until I moved," I explained. It had been true. Rumors about me were as common as the drifting clouds. I was pregnant with an incest baby. My father beat me. My mother sold herself on the streets. I sold myself on the streets. You named it; there was a rumor about it. "When I was 18, I went to a university and then moved to Maine to get away from their biting words." I smiled in remembrance and then closed my eyes, "That's where I met Nate."

"Nate?"

"My ex-boyfriend who cheated on me a couple times and then broke up with me after I gave him my virginity." I opened an eye and looked at the pirate lord, "Do you remember the day you fished me out of the ocean?"

He gave me a wicked grin and took a swig of the bottle. "How could I forget? It was the most deliciously scandalous outfit I had ever seen in my life."

I laughed quietly and turned my head away, "That was the day that we had broken up…well…he broke up with me, I should say. He decided that my boss, Kristen, was far more attractive to me…" I glanced over at him and I saw that his eyes were closed and he was facing the ocean, "Why the hell am I telling you this? You're the biggest manwhore to ever grace the face of the planet!" I grumped and turned away. His gloved hand was over mine before I could do anything else. I looked down at it and then looked up to see his sultry green eyes staring into mine.

"Don't stop," He said softly, "I forgot how nice it is to just stop and…listen."

He took his hand away from mine and I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. I leaned back against the palms of my hand and then began speaking again.

"My brother died when I was 20." I said softly and he arched an eyebrow, "he had…cancer. He had leukemia his whole life and finally died from it while I was finishing up college."

Reaver was silent for a moment as I pulled my tobacco pouch and pipe from my pocket. I lit up and stuck the pipe between my teeth and silently smoked it as he digested that information. The light flared in the upcoming darkness as I lit my pipe.

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that…" he began but I whipped my head so quickly, the smoke still stayed in its original place.

"Don't be," I snapped, "if he saw me now, he would be ashamed of me. He'd be ashamed of what I became…"

"And what, my dear girl, have you become?" He asked quietly and I felt tears spring my eyes as I felt a finger under my chin. He lifted my head up to his and for a split second, I thought I saw a flicker of compassion in those otherwise brutal orbs.

"I've become something I always hated," I choked out, turning away from him, "I became…you."

Reaver was silent for a moment, obviously thinking about what I had said. He drank deeply from the scotch bottle and looked out over the ocean. For some reason, I believed I was seeing a Reaver that very few people were able to see.

We sat in complete and utter silence until the first stars began to appear and then he spoke. "You were the first woman who has ever bested me at my own game."

I glanced at him and saw his profile in the fading sun but stayed silent. I was waiting for him to continue. The bottle of scotch, being empty, was thrown into the ocean as he gave a little smirk, "The moment you stumbled out of the Shadow Court, I knew that I was dealing with something that would be my adversary." He turned to me and even in the dim light; I could see his green eyes dancing with darkness. Flames flickered in those eyes and it frightened. "I'm just thankful you were smart and cunning."

I flicked my hair over my shoulder and gave him a feeble smile, "how about looks?"

He looked down at his knees and gave a visual little scoff, "Your looks," He said looking back at me, "are left to be desired."

I stared at him for a few moments, mouth slightly agape as I tried to work out his words, "are you calling me ugly?"

"No, not exactly ugly…"

"Oh my…that was low. That was so low."

I lay down and sighed, watching the stars come out in place of the sun. "The stars here are the same." I stated, "Seth and I would sit out on the roof and he would teach me about astrology." I smiled in remembrance. "It was his passion; he wanted to be an astrologist and asked me to write books and books about a star traveler."

"Your brother sounds interesting," Reaver commented and I closed my eyes and breathed in the salty air.

"He was," I agreed, "he would have loved this. He loved the ocean and loved going to Seaside. We knew about EVERYTHING down there and Seth always won the stupidest contests they did down there for tourists."

I felt Reaver shift next to me and I opened my eyes to see Reaver lying down next to me. "I've heard all about your brother. What about you? What did you do back in your world?"

I sighed and thought about it for a minute. "I loved to sing, even if I wasn't very good at it. I still do and I'm still not very good at it. I loved to run too."

He sat up and looked at me, "You loved to run? I would have never thought of you as someone who even had inkling of running in you."

I sat up too and put a hand on my hip, "So, you're calling me fat AND ugly?"

He laughed and looked at me for a few moments, "Go on."

I cleared my throat, thankful that the moon hadn't come out yet, "I loved to run. I could run and run and run forever to get away from Seth's illness. But, when I got back home, I realized that it was still as close to me as it had been before I ran. In a way it was…therapeutic."

"I see." Reaver mused. I realized as I had been speaking, he never let my eyes wander off of his. They were hypnotic. "Tell me Rosie, did you ever fall in love back in your world?"

I snorted and rolled my eyes, "I THOUGHT I fell in love with Nate but in the end, he just betrayed me for the next hottest thing. I guess you're lucky that you've got the one time deal. You can't seem to fall in love with anyone. Tell me Reaver," I said, leaning forward and arching an eyebrow, "have you ever, in your WHOLE existence, fall in love with someone?"

He was silent for a moment and I saw him rub his ring finger on his left hand with his thumb before answering. "No," he said softly, looking back up at me, "I don't fall in love."

Before I realized what I was doing, I was reaching out to take his hand and holding it between my own. "You have eternity," I reminded in in a gentle whisper, "As do I. You WILL find her, I promise."

He reached forward and kissed me softly on the mouth. "As you will find him, my little minx."

Before he could pull away, I placed my lips over his and kissed him. It was at that instant, I realized that it had been the first time I had kissed him and I was really, really liking it.

I could tell he was slightly surprised but amused by my antics because before I could do anything else, he was cupping my face with his gloved hands and kissing me back. My fingers tangled in his hair as I pulled him in closer and softly moaned.

Suddenly, an excited little jump fluttered through my stomach and I pulled back slightly. Reaver took this as the ending of the kiss and planted one last peck on my lips before pulling away altogether, his hands still cupping my cheek. A gloved finger traced the outline of my lips and he smiled at me.

"I wish there were a million more of you Rosie." He said as my eyelids fluttered closed. I realized, in horror what that little bounce in my stomach had been. I had ENJOYED kissing Reaver and everywhere his fingertips had been a miniature fire had sprung up and left me wanting more. It hadn't been when we had had sex. It had been an pure enjoyment of just kissing him and not lust that had compiled my actions.

I realized then and there that I was completely, utterly and hopelessly under Reaver's spell and there was no way I was going to be getting out of it any time soon. I was in love with the King of Thieves and he was still stuck in the lust stage of life. There was no way he would ever love me.

He tugged on my hand slightly and then looked down on the deck where the men were doing their rounds. A group of them were setting up musical instruments, waiting to start playing fast jigs that the men would dance to.

"Do you dance?" He asked and I shook my head no, smiling slightly. "Come now, you must dance some!"

"Alas, I have two left feet," I confessed and Reaver scoffed in disbelief.

"I don't believe it. A woman on a ship for 35 years must know SOMETHING about dancing!"

I shrugged and gave him a sheepish grin, "What can I say? I'm more of the singing type than dancing type. I have taught the crew many a song from my world!"

Reaver quickly disappeared down the lines and I followed with one hand, "Come now my dear Rosie." He said, pulling me towards the lights of the crew. "I'll teach you how to dance."

I laughed and brushed a strand of hair of hair behind my ear, "I'll watch, you dance."

"That isn't how dance lessons usually go." He whipped out his Dragonstomper .48 and aimed it at me, the smirk still plastered to his lips, "Either you dance with me or I'll shoot you."

I looked at him in disbelief. "I don't dance with you and you hold a gun at me? Forget it; I'm not dancing with you now no matter how many times you ask me!"

The music began; a fast paced Irish sounding jig and suddenly, I felt myself being grabbed by a crew member who spun me around so quickly, I didn't even know what to do! He began to dance with me so violently; I thought I might throw up but a quick glance over at Reaver made me want to throw up even more.

The Pirate Lord was an excellent dancer and seemed to be skilled in several types of dancing not only with other crew members but seemed to make a spectacle of himself when he was alone too

"Son of a…" I muttered but felt myself being spun around by a completely different crew member. The song went on for far too long until it finally ended and I was spun around several times while the other crew members clapped and whistled. Ale was passed around and I was grateful for the pint as someone handed me one.

"And now, our lovely co-captain will sing us a piece that she taught us quite some time ago," The lead musician said and I felt myself blushing and holding up my hands in surrender.

"No way, not with guests," I tried to say but I already felt myself being pushed up towards where the musicians stood. I glanced over at Reaver who had his own pipe stuck between his teeth who nodded at me. I gave him a grimace and he smirked and even from where I was standing, saw him chuckle.

"Okay, I'll sing." I said after the whistles and catcalls had calmed down. I looked over the ocean and then smiled, "I'm going to dedicate this song to my dear co-captain, Reaver." I looked at the instrumentalists who looked at me for instructions, "Light," was my only word spoken to them. Instantly, the song began, a haunting melody at first and nothing the boys could dance too until the chorus.

_"You are the hole in my head, you are the space in my bed, you are the silence in between what I've done, what I've said…"_ I began to sing in my alto range as the band played out an acoustic favorite of mine. The aura of the ship tensed, waiting for the chorus and the second it hit, they were up and dancing.

_"No light, no light in your bright green eyes! I never knew daylight could be so violent! A revelation in the light of day, you can't choose what stays and what fades away. And I'd do anything, to make you stay…No light, no light. Tell me what you want me to say…"_

The song faded out several times but each time the chorus hit, the men were dancing and howling like banshees. Finally, the song ended and wolf whistles commenced. I gave a sheepish little bow and moved out of the way. Reaver didn't say anything to me but I saw him glancing my way every so often. Finally, the dancing stopped around midnight and most of the crew went off to their hammocks. Several started their night shifts and I sat, smoking my pipe and watching them.

"Your singing voice is…delightful." Reaver said, walking over to me and leaning up against the railing. I snuffed out my pipe and glanced up at him. He was looking out over the deck, watching the still ocean. The gentle wind ruffled his hair and worms crawled through my stomach. I looked away and tried my hardest not to blush but he didn't seem to notice, "Your dancing on the other hand leaves far too much to the imagination."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked innocently and he smirked at me.

"You can't dance at all."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious." I muttered sarcastically, "I think we've established that."

He snuffed out his own pipe and held out his hand. "And this is why I have to teach you how to dance properly."

I looked at his hand and then at his face. "Are you kidding me? You held a gun against my head not two hours ago. There is no way…"

"You WILL dance with me, my little minx," He stated and I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"You can't teach me," I muttered as he pulled me up and placed one hand on my ribs, minding the bullet hole that was still patched up and took my other hand. I had seen this done in movies enough to know where my other hand went.

"Would you relax?" He snapped suddenly, a very uncharacteristic thing of him to do. Instantly, I tried to think about the most relaxed things in the world. Jell-O, pudding and leaves came to mind instantly.

"I'm totally relaxed," I squeaked out and I heard him chuckled softly.

"Now, move your feet with mine." He instructed as I tried to keep up with his feet. After a few moments, we both realized that without a beat pulsing through my body, I was about as rhythmic as a potato.

Finally, as I was realizing this and hoping Reaver would to, he spoke again, "Step on my feet."

"What?"

"You heard me. Stand on my feet. Maybe I can help you."

"This isn't going to work," I muttered sourly as I stood on his feet and began to move.

"Sing something," he said and I looked up at him in disbelief.

"You want me to SING?"

"Something that is soft, like a waltz."

"Um, okay…" I racked my brain until the perfect song came into mind, "Give me a minute. I haven't heard it in 35 years."

I cleared my throat and began to sing softly, _"I hear the wind, call your name. It calls me back, home again. The sparks and the fire, the flame that still burns…Oh, it's to you I'll always return."_

The song was a simple 3 count melody that had a slow, beautiful melody line. It made me think of my brother when I was out at sea. Many times, I believed I heard his voice through the winds of the sails and it made me homesick. The song was from some stupid movie that I had seen when I was growing up and my brother had loved it. Maybe that's why I loved the song so much.

_"Still feel your breath, on my skin. I hear your voice, deep within. The sound of my loving, so free and so strong…Oh it's to you, I'll always belong."_

Before I realized it, I was dancing alongside Reaver and I was enjoying myself! We twirled and danced in the light of the moon and even when I stopped singing and the wind became our only source of music, we still danced and it was only when I collapsed in his arms as a writhing, giggling mess that he spoke.

"I have to credit myself with this one," He said and helped me lean against him, herding me back towards the cabin. I almost tripped over the threshold but caught myself, nearly swimming in exhaustion.

I collapsed down on the bed at the same time Reaver did and looked at him, brown to green. "How have you learned so much?" I asked as he chuckled and pulled a strand of hair out of my face.

"I have had hundreds of years to practice, moncherie." He admitted, took my hand, and kissed it. "I admit. It's been awhile since I've had a dance partner so willing to learn."

I gave him a smile and then laid down, "It was nice to get to see a little bit of what's underneath that exterior layer…" I began but then closed my eyes and just like that, was out like a light.

* * *

><p><strong>I know, let the flames begin. Hannah wrote a cheesy chapter! (What? I think we all deserve at least one of those in our lifetimes, don't you think?)<strong>  
><strong>Reviewers get virtual scones, tea and a funny quote.<strong>


	15. Hurricane Drunk

**Well, I am happy to say that on the 29th of this month, this story will be celebrating it's one year birthday! (Whoohoo!) And with that, comes the second part of our story for Rosie and Reaver. Of course, don't think that this one is all the way done quite yet! We still have a long way to go! It's also going to be my 2nd longest story, finally dwarfing Monster and my others that have racked up major word counts. As this momentous occasion comes to play, I just want to say a thank you to everyone who's been amazingly reviewing even though Fable is a rather unpopular category! I'm thankful for what I've gotten so far and I'm blessed to have so many readers who are enjoying the story. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me since the beginning of our little adventure. **

**Anyway, announcement time! **  
><strong>As of now, I'm offering writing commissions! If you're interested in getting something written by me, please check out my profile for more information!<strong>  
><strong>Reviews, as usual, are wonderful incentives to write. If you enjoyed the story, please drop me a line! It really helps the hamster turning in my head. <strong>  
><strong>Reaver is starting to lean a little into the OOC side. I am aware of that but don't worry. The next few chapters he'll start getting into his old habits.<strong> 

**Reaver, Fable (c) Lionhead Studio**  
><strong>Rosie (c) Flamboyant Cuttlefish<strong>

**As always, playlist songs are appriciated from all those who read. Got a song that matches the story? Send me a PM or leave a review with the song title and artist and I'll make sure that it goes into the playlist for Better Off Reaver on my profile! **

**Thanks for reading!**

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><p><em>Say what you mean, say that I'm right,<em>  
><em>And let the sun rain down on me<em>  
><em>Give me a sign, I wanna believe, <em>  
><em>Whoa, Mona Lisa, you guaranteed to run this town, <em>  
><em>Whoa, Mona Lisa, I'd pay to see you frown...<br>_

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><p>The next thing I was aware of was somebody shaking me softly and me opening my eyes slowly. I looked up at Reaver's perfect chest and turned my head back down into my arms to keep my grin from showing.<p>

"Good morning," I mumbled into my arms and I felt his hand caress my back gently. Suddenly, I felt lips along with that hand and next thing I knew, I was locked in his embrace, kissing him and running my fingers in his lush hair. He pulled away from me and I looked at him under heavy lashes.

"Now that is a good morning," He purred and caressed my cheek with a gentle hand. I rolled over, hissing slightly at the soreness of my muscles and he kissed me once again on the nose before rolling over on his back and shoving the covers back from the bed. I was thankful to see we both still had our clothes on but the fact that we DID have our clothes on made me want to take them off and…

Oh Avo, there WAS something wrong with me. I was just as bad as he was.

"Red skies in the morning, sailor's warning," He recited, pouring himself a glass of wine. I joined him at the window but opted out for the alcohol. True to his word, the whole eastern sky was alight with red clouds that hovered over the rising sun like an ominous warning.

"That's not good," I mused, my lips pursed and arms over my chest, "We should take precautions. Make sure you tell the other ships to batten down the hatches. Better safe than sorry." Reaver nodded slowly and turned from the window towards the knocking that was coming from the door, "Come in."

Slowly, the door opened and a pale, slight man came in with a tray of food that was breakfast and it looked good. "Captains, I bring you the kitchen's best. I hope you enjoy it." He took a step over the threshold but didn't make it to the table. He tripped over the door jam and fell straight forward onto his face, food going all over my cabin.

Instantly, Reaver's Dragonstomper was out and pointed at the man's head. "There is no room on this ship for mistakes, sailor."

The man, realizing what was going to happen to him, began crying and blubbering about how he had a family and how it wouldn't happen again. Reaver paid no heed as he thumbed back the hammer and aimed to kill. But, that was before I stepped in.

"Reaver!" I snapped angrily, trying to remove his grip from his beloved weapon, "As you could probably remember, you're a guest on my ship and I have very few rules one of those being you do not shoot my crew members. Do you understand me?"

Reaver didn't even waver before he finally, reluctantly, slipped the gun back into holster, glaring at me the whole time.

"Haven't you forgotten about how out of the goodness of my heart allowed you to go free after I kept you prisoner?" He asked softly, his hand still hovering over the gun. I scoffed and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Oh, was that before or after you sold me to the Count?" I sneered and expecting the worst, I felt an open palm cuff my face and I stumbled back, yanking out my gun in the fray of the attack. I pulled it out and aimed it at Reaver just as he was aiming his gun at me. I narrowed my eyes and ignored my throbbing cheek.

"You hit me!"

"Indeed I did. And your point is…?"

"The point is you hit me and you're an asshole!" I yelled at him and a small smirk played at his lips.

"Actually, the point is that I am the Hero of Skill. I never miss. Meaning, if you fire that pretty little weapon into my lovely person, you will die far sooner than I will."

I knew that he wasn't joking and so hesitating; I lowered my gun slowly and shoved it back in my holster.

"I hate you," I snapped and stormed past him, purposely slamming into his shoulder as hard as I could. Of course, it didn't really do anything, due to the fact that I was about a head shorter than Reaver and smaller than him too.

Hytachi was the first one over to me and he cocked his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. "Rosie-San. What happened to your cheek?" He asked while I trumped forward. I turned to him and bore my full red cheek.

"That…deviant! That's what happened!" I yelled and kicked a mast. "Son of a bitch I hate him!" Hytachi made a tsk-tsk noise as I slumped against the mast, putting my hands in my face, "What am I doing with him?" I asked softly into my hand and I felt him squat down at place a hand on my shoulder.

"Rosie-San," he said softly, "The reason I joined your crew was because I have a daughter that reminds me of you."

I laughed weakly and looked at him, tears clinging to my eyelashes, "The reason you joined my crew was because we sunk your ship and we gave you a choice. Death or joining our crew."

He chuckled and stood up, "And I chose life, Rosie-San, when it would have been far more honorable for me to lay down my life and join my ancestors. You're my daughter now and I will do anything to protect you. Right now, you're choosing death over life and Reaver is that death that I taking you away from me."

"He's the poison," I murmured and leaned into Hytachi's shoulder, "What can I do?"

"For one, you can start talking to the crew about the red skies to the east." He said softly, standing up and brushing off his vest and pants.

"Sounds like a good place to start," I muttered as I approached my new first in command, a large, bald headed dark skinned man named Stone, "Mr. Stone, please start sending the signal to batten down the hatches."

"Aye-aye, Miss Sharpp," He said and brought his whistle up to his lips. A shrill blast echoed from his lips. The crew glanced up from their chores and Stone began to bark out orders. "Secure the sails! Hoist up the lines! Batten down the hatches!" He yelled and the men began scurrying across the deck like ants. He turned back to me and I nodded.

"That will do nicely." I said and turned back to my cabin where Reaver was just coming out of. I stormed back inside and received a look from him before slamming the door and locking it behind myself. I sighed and turned my head towards the door where I could see Reaver's dark hair turn from the door and move across the deck before turning to the mirror.

My brown eyes sparkled in disgust and anger and my tan skin was flushed, making my freckles stand out. Frizzy brown hair stuck out at every angle and I raked a hand through it in anger only to make it stand up on end even more. I groaned and shoved a hat over it. The worst part about being stuck at 24 for the rest of forever was that I still got pimples and my hair never changed. I grunted angrily and moved over to the desk where I flung out the maps and narrowed my eyes, poring over the paper and compasses.

I was fortunate enough to live in a town where we relied on maps instead of GPS devises while I was growing up and I knew how to read a map. 30 plus years of doing it had only honed my skills. As I looked over the maps, the sky grew darker and finally grew so dark that I needed to light my lanterns even though it was on about one or so in the afternoon.

The rain came at about one thirty in torrents and I didn't realize that somebody was pounding on my door and kindly yelling about how if he didn't get into the cabin in the next five seconds, he was going to shoot me through the head. Well, it didn't take me long to realize who this was and so I opened the door a fraction when Reaver came barging in.

"You could have knocked," I said smirking and turning back to the maps.

"The little girl knows jokes," He said uncharacteristically sarcastic and poured himself a glass of scotch, "What have you been doing in here?"

"Stuff," I said simply, charting out another path towards the island and then looking up, "I didn't think you knew anything about getting things done, Reaver."

His eyes flickered with a deadly fire and I knew that I was treading in hot water. His hand graced over his Dragonstomper and I smirked nastily.

"Don't even bother. We both know that you need me for your little escapade." I moved towards him and cocked my head and hip. "I've learned more about you today than I have in all our time together. Can you believe that?"

He returned my smirk with one of his own and then leaned forwards and kissed me forcefully on the lips. I could taste tension, salt and scotch in that kiss and I pulled back for a split second to look at him.

"Why?" I asked softly as he traced my lower lip with his thumb.

"Because a girl's kiss reveals more about her than anything else a man can do to her." He kissed me again but still, I resisted.

"You've known me for almost 36 years, Reaver," I murmured as his eyes drank in mine, "is there still more you want to know about me?"

"Rosie my dear, I'm always gathering more and more information about you." He said, kissing me softly on the nose and then turning away, "The storm came quicker than expected."

"But we were prepared." I pointed out and Reaver chuckled softly.

"Were it so easy," He purred and as soon as he had said that, the first clap of thunder echoed through the sky, bringing with it a monsoon to add to the rain already falling, "They need their fearless leader out there."

"What and you're not?" I scoffed and turned to leave but not before Reaver grabbed my arm and whirled me around and held tight to my arms. He looked into my eyes and gave me a soft smirk before letting go of me.

"You don't have one either."

"Have one of what?"

He turned away from me and back towards the desk, "You don't have a soul either."

I felt my ears turn red in shame and anger. He, of course, was right. I turned my head away and then turned on my heel to move towards the door. Before I could go, however I turned back to him.

"I may not have a soul, but I try and live as if I have one."

He scoffed and downed another drink, "You're a pirate, love. We don't have souls nor do we live as if we had them."

I gave him one last dirty look before wrenching open the door to face the storm that might be less devastating than the one sitting in my cabin.

"CAPTAIN!" Stone yelled over the roar of the storm as I stumbled out on deck, "We weren't ready for this storm!"

"I realize that!" I snapped back and lurched my way up the wheel where someone was doing an inadequate job of steering my ship. "Out of the way, you buffoon!" I yelled and took the wheel in my gloved hands. I whipped my head around and saw that the other four ships in the fleet were also being steered by only their best captains. This was one hell of a storm.

The boat lurched dangerously to the right and sea water spilled onto the deck, nearly washing away several of my crew members. One of them stumbled up towards me and grabbed my arm.

"Captain, we need your help!" He gasped and I could see that he had been badly wounded by something falling on his leg, "The rigging on the main mast is coming loose!"

"Oh for the love of Avo!" I snapped and grabbed the second best navigator on the ship to get us out of the gale. I wobbled down to the main deck like a drunk and grabbed the line with the other men who were trying to get the sails to stop whipping around in the tempest. As soon as the sail was secure, I turned my head for a split second to see a flash of red and the strike of a match and I knew that Reaver was watching me and my every move.

"Watch out!" The call came too late and I looked up just in time to see the main mast fall across the deck, swing around and catch me in the stomach, sending me into the railing and over the side with a FWUMP.

The wind whistled in my ears and I felt as if I was falling in slow motion. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't do anything but realize that the churning waves were getting closer and closer and my beautiful ship was getting farther and farther away.

The sudden impact of waves on my back literally tore the clothes away from my skin. The water was as cold as a hypodermic needle and about as painful too. The first thing I was aware of as I sank into the deep, dark blackness was the fact I seemed to be in the eye of the storm. Everything was calm under the water except for the occasional stream of bubbles that escaped my lips.

I opened my eyes, ignoring the stinging sensation and smiled slightly despite my aching lungs. I sighed, finally content with no piracy, no ship and definitely no Reaver and I wondered if I stayed down here long enough if I would resurface in my world. My body continued to float downwards and I realized if drowning didn't kill me first, the pressure would surely get to me sooner or later.

However, what I wasn't expecting was an act of heroism from one of my crew members. The perfect swan dive and bubbles that surrounded us as he grabbed me around my arms surprised me and I gasped in awe and horror as he dragged me along the surface of the water, the waves still churning. A wave washed over us and he coughed, trying to tread water with deadweight in his arms.

"Send down the rope!" Reaver yelled to my shipmates and to my surprise, they did so. Reaver grabbed it and holding tightly to me, pulled us both up until we were gasping and sputtering on the deck, crew members still moving around us to try and keep the ship together.

"Are you alright Rosie?" Reaver demanded, turning my face to his. I sluggishly batted his hand away and tried to keep my eyes open. There was so much water in my body, I felt like the whole world was swimming.

"What's it to you?" I mumbled, falling back with a loud THUMP, "You don't even like me."

Reaver leaned over me and I found I could stare into those intense green eyes for the rest of my life. "If I didn't like you, why did I just risk my life to fish you out of the damn ocean?"

"I dunno," I said, my head pounding and my world rolling around, "Maybe you just wanted to go for a swim?"

Reaver leaned back and then propped my head up on a piece of downed wood, "You've got enough water in you to begin a new ocean, my little mermaid." He helped me stand up and I leaned fully against him, "Come on. Let's get you to bed."

"Uh-huh," I mumbled and found myself stumbling over the threshold and falling down onto my bed. The next thing I was aware of was Reaver taking off my boots and then crawling in next to me.

"I thought you were certainly dead," he mused, seeming not to care whether or not I perished. I thought of the perfect comeback but then realized that my tongue was about as heavy as the waves I had almost been crushed under.

I made some audible squeaking noises and I heard Reaver let out a trademark chuckle, "Save your energy my little minx. You're going to need it for our days to follow."

So, heeding his advice with my head in still swimming, I closed my eyes and instead of sinking into waves of water, I allowed myself to sink into waves of unconsciousness.

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><p><em>My dreams were filled with a handsome young man in a dashing gold, black and red suit wearing a mask that looked like it might have been a lion. I, on the other hand was wearing something that looked like a peacock would wear along with a mask. He bowed deeply to me and I curtsied back, smiling. For some reason, I felt the undeniable urge to be with this man and only this man. He took my hand in his and placed his other on my ribs and I placed my own on his shoulder. <em>

_ The dance we performed was a simple waltz but it was enough to keep me on my toes. I had never been much of a dancer. _

_ "You are so lucky my mother forced me to take dance classes when I was younger." The young man teased as I stepped on his. He winced and I felt myself blushing under the mask. _

_ "I'm so sorry Your Majesty, I didn't mean to…" _

_ He held up his index finger against my plump lips and hushed me. "Don't worry about it, Alice. Just let me help you." _

_ He grasped my hand a little tighter and we weaved and dipped through the throngs of people until I felt someone tap on my shoulder and I turned to see a man dressed in white wearing a top hat in a bird mask. _

_ "May I cut in, Your Highness?" He asked in a nasally voice that I never thought I would hear again. I felt the man's grip tighten on my waist as he reluctantly let go of me. _

_ "Not too long Reaver." He said and I could hear a cold undertone in his voice. He handed me off to Reaver who wrapped a far more possessive hand around my waist and we began to spin. _

_ "I never thought I would find you again." He purred in my ear as he dipped me, "Surprising how close both of us decided to set up shop in Bowerstone. What are doing nowadays besides seducing royalty? I personally thought you would go for Logan. Does the king know what you did before your little pub? Did he ask you where you got the money from?" _

_ "Reaver," I hissed, nearly tearing off a chunk of his shoulder, "If you say anything to Julian, I swear to Avo I…" _

_ "Do what, my dear? We're immortals here, Titans amongst these people. A battle between us will only result in the death of your dear Julian." _

_ I narrowed my eyes behind my mask and then realized that he was holding all the cards. Everyone knew he was a pirate but my warrant still technically stood. "Alright Reaver," I sighed, loosening my grip slightly, "What do you want?" _

_ He gave me one of his signature smirks and winked behind his mask, "Another partnership between the two rogues that built what they now call Bowerstone from sweat and blood. " _

_ I scoffed as we whirled around and then spoke, "Another one? Where were you when I was helping the homeless? Where were you when I built the first factories that had fair labor? Where were you when I helped make Bowerstone great? Where were you when the Hero Queen Sparrow died and I stood at her side when she died under the false name Clara?" _

_ He smirked, "Just another thing to hold over your head, my little minx. Don't forget that I also know your true identity, ALICE and who you really are. What happens when your dear Julian ages and you stay young? You and I aren't completely different, you know."_

_ I pulled away from his grasp and narrowed my eyes, "You and I are from two completely different places, Reaver! You also can't change the fact that you're a heartless bastard!" _

_ "That is most definitely true," He said and then faded back away into the crowd, "Think about my offer, Rosie. Two hearts, beating as one once again. The soulless always tend to find each other…"_

_ The dream faded out into black and one person stood in the midst of the dancing crowd. "This is where you will find yourself at a crossroad. You can either help Reaver bring Bowerstone back under his rule or risk your lover finding out who you truly are." _

_ "Why are you showing me this now?" I asked, my eyes widening behind my mask. _

_ "Because it is key that you know what will happen…for future reference…" She said and with a snap of her fingers, the dream faded out into nothingness for the second time in my life.  
><em>

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><p><strong>So, ClaraAlice/Rosie gets out of pirating it seems. More to come in the next installment! **  
><strong>Don't forget to review and join the mile high club!<strong>

**Rubbing House Elves against the wall, **  
><strong>Flamboyant Cuttlefish<em><br>_**


	16. The Island

**Hey guys, this chapter was pretty difficult for me to write. Not that I didn't have enough ideas, no I got plenty of those. About two weeks ago, I plugged this story into Google and found out that the first four chapters of this story is on somebody's shit list, for lack of a better word. She has a Tumblr account dedicated to "bad" stories and then picks out every little mistake and blows it up to epic proportions.**  
><strong>Well...I'll tell you what I told my readers on Deviantart. If you have a problem with me, my stories or something I've said to you, don't bitch about it behind my back. Grow a pair of balls and TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO WORK ON WITHOUT FLAMING THE SHIT OUT OF WHAT I WORK ON! This story is something that I've worked really hard to bring back from the dead. I don't actually know if I'm going to continue it because of some of the things that girl said. I know she stopped in November but it still hurts when you find out somebody's been writing these terrible things behind your back and you haven't got a clue because you think everyone loves your story. <strong>  
><strong>Guys...I'm really at a crossroads right now. Please. If you have something to say about my story, please say it to my face. I'm a big girl, I can take critiques but when it's just flame after flame after flame...there's only so much I can take without feeling like I'm unwanted. <strong>

**Sorry to totally dump the big one on this note but I'm just kinda miffed and flattered at the same time. Go figure. The point is, she's not doing it anymore and I should be thankful. Just...if you have something to say, SAY IT TO MY FACE. I never leave anonymous reviews for that very reason.**

**Reaver © Lionhead Studios**  
><strong>Rosie, OCs © Flamboyant Cuttlefish<strong>

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><p>I opened one eye and swiveled it around, trying to get my bearings. The last thing I remembered was my dear companion placing me in bed and…<p>

"Good morning, moncherie."

Oh yes, and a good morning to my favorite pirate king.

I groaned and rolled over in bed, wrapping the pillow around my ears. My body still throbbed like a drum and it felt like someone had shoved cotton in my ears.

"Too early…" I mumbled and I heard Reaver lean forward in the chair he was sitting on and chuckle softly.

"It's never too early for a little adventure," he said and I groaned again.

"I am NOT getting up without coffee and breakfast," I grunted and suddenly, the blankets were yanked back and my skin instantly erupted into goose bumps. I sat up almost instantly and tried to keep from shivering. "What the hell is your problem?" I yelped, staring at Reaver who had my blankets in one hand and a nasty smirk on his face.

"I'm looking at her," he said simply and then tossed the blankets aside before striding out of the cabin, "Now come along. You need to get dressed and I need to start packing up supplies."

I probably stayed in that bed and looked like a fish out of water longer than I needed to, "Why…how…man, I really hate that guy." I finally muttered after stammering like a madman, trying to convince myself of something else. However, it really wasn't working. I got out of bed and stumbled over to the wardrobe where I threw on the first thing my hand came into contact with.

I then tied my frizzy hair back with a bandana and then attempted to pop the pimple on my forehead. When I found out that my newfound friend was there to stay, I hurried out of the cabin, again tripping on the door jam.

I looked around to see if anyone had seen me but it appears everyone was too enamored by the big ass island that looked like Hawaii on steroids. I leaned over the railing and took a deep breath of the warm air that rolled down the hills of the island. It smelled like wonderful freedom. People might have thought pirates had the ultimate freedom but when it's with a douchebag pirate king it's not freedom…it's an eternity with a bratty child.

"I do believe we found the island." Reaver said, coming up behind me smirking slightly. I turned to him and arched an eyebrow.

"Really? I would have never guessed," I said sarcastically and he made a tsk-tsk noise before waggling his finger in my face. "You know, you're making it very hard to find you tolerant right now."

Reaver just gave me one of his infamous cocky grins and stuck his pipe between his white teeth. "It seems the storm actually did some good. We arrived at the island a week before our projected time of arrival."

Between you and me, when I had lived back in Maine, my brother and I had been major Lost fans and since that time, I tried to steer clear of any island that might threaten to send me back in time. I had spent enough time in this world nursing my career to where it was now and there was no way in Hell that I would get sent back to start all over!

"Okay, question time. One, how do you know that's our island? Two, how do you not know something lives on it that might be a threat to our beings? We may be immortal but we can still die, Reaver."

He blew out a puff of smoke and looked back towards the island, "It's just a risk we have to take, my dear."

I scoffed and crossed my arms across my chest, "You may be considering me the party pooper but I think that before we go sending off ourselves, send a party to the shore and have them report back."

Before I could say anything else, Reaver was across the deck and swinging a leg into the rowboat and giving me a cocky grin and a flick of his hair. "We won't find the treasure if we stay on the boat, my little minx. Of course, you're coming with me."

I scoffed and leaned against one of the broken masts, "Like hell I'm coming with you," I snorted as Reaver pointed his Dragonstomper at my head, "Like you're going to kill me."

"No, I won't," He said before aiming the gun over his shoulder and fired it into the leg of one of my crew members. His face contorted into pain and he dropped like a rock, clutching the bullet hole that was oozing bright red.

"Son of a bitch!" I swore angrily and dropped to my knees as Hytachi who was already tending the wound. He looked up at me and nodded towards the boat.

"Go, Rosie-San." He murmured and I tightened my grip on the man's shirt.

"No. I have to stay here. I'm the captain for Avo's sake." I whispered furiously back as he applied more pressure to the man's wound.

"You've already been shot once. I don't think you want to be shot again." He said back and then turned his eyes on Reaver, "You go. I'll stay here and keep the crew in line."

Hesitating, I stood up slowly and Reaver threw a gun towards me, "Well? Are you coming or do you need more…convincing?"

I caught the gun and shoved it into the other holster on my left hip. "I don't like it, but yes. I'm coming."

He gave me a wicked smirk and then nodded at me, "Then let our little adventure begin, shall we?"

It took us two hours of nonstop rowing to get to the island and by the time we reached the perfect white sand, my shirt was soaked through with sweat. I jumped out along with the rest of my crew and helped pull the boat onto the island and I was please to say that even Reaver did his part pulling up the vessel.

When I had been 13, my parents decided that it would be a great surprise to take us to Hawaii. Needless to say, it hadn't been that fun for me. I had been a pimply, awkward adolescent and wearing a swimsuit on the beaches of Hawaii wasn't on my "Things to do in Rosie's puberty" list. That meant I was stuck on an island with polar bear white skin and dorky one piece for two weeks while my brother lived it up with some exotic natives.

This place looked exactly like Hawaii and the beach brought up bad memories of getting sand up my nose. Reaver came up beside me and put a hand on my shoulder before breathing in deeply. "I think I smell adventure in our future."

"No, I think that's me you smell," I said awkwardly, shying away from him, "And it's definitely NOT adventure."

Reaver gave me another knee weakening smile and then brought out a machete. "Hopefully, we can find the treasure before nightfall and…"

He was cut off mid-sentence as something in the jungle caught his eye. I had seen it too. It was the flicker or a torch or something with fire.

"Does anyone else see that?" One of the men asked and Reaver whipped around and made the universal sign for shut the hell up or else you're going to get it from the business end of my weapon.

"Yeah, I see it," I said, smirking just to piss our favorite Pirate Lord off. He gave me a nasty glare and slowly, we began tromping through the jungle. If at all possible, the trees were becoming less and less like a tropical island and more like what I had seen in Albion. The sky grew darker the closer we approached and the flames grew larger and angrier.

Suddenly, I felt like I couldn't move. My feet were rooted to the ground as I stared into the fiery nightmare of a poor village, getting torched. Women and children raced from their houses, screaming like banshees and the men tried to put out the flames. Reaver however, kept moving towards the inferno rather quickly. I saw the flames dancing in his eyes and for the first time since I had met him, I could see real terror in those green orbs. In the middle of the village lay a young woman in white who seemed to be dead.

"Abigail!" Reaver yelled and raced towards the fallen woman. She was very beautiful with long waves of dark raven colored locks and skin almost as pale as the dress. Reaver picked up her fragile body and I made a valiant effort not to feel fat. Her eyelids fluttered open and she touched his face slowly.

"Alexander…what are you doing here…The Shadow Court…"

He pressed a finger against her lush lips, "Hush now Emile, you must save your strength. You've been gone for far too long. I can't lose you again." He looked up at her and even from where I stuck, 20 feet away; I could see the tears in his eyes. "I was the one who destroyed Oakvale. I called on the Shadow Court and they…they did this to Oakvale. I'm so, so sorry Abigail."

She smiled slowly and blinked once before her face contorted, "We knew it was your fault, Reaver. We always knew that you would betray us in the end." Suddenly, Abigail's form fell to sand and she passed through the deviant's fingers. As if the village suddenly remembered that it belonged to the ground, it fell to dust around us and my crew and I could go free.

I stumbled forward just as the last bits of the ersatz village were falling away. Reaver was still kneeling in the dust, his eyes a million miles away.

"Reaver?" I asked quietly and he whipped his head to me, his eyes now hard and angry.

"How much of that did you see?" He angrily hissed and I felt myself blush, like someone who had just found out their friend had a dead cat under his floorboards by finding said cat. I took a step back and felt my eyes widen.

"I…I…" I began but he held up a gloved hand to stop me.

"I know what you saw. I know you saw HER." He said her like he had bitten into a bitter almond and I slowly sat down next to him and reached over to take his hand. I smiled softly as I felt his shaking hand hang onto mine in a death grip.

"We'll make camp here tonight boys," I said before turning back to him, "Do you mind me asking...?"

He brought my knuckles to his lips and gave it a quick kiss, "All in good time, my little minx. We must set up camp now…but not here."

I nodded and helped him up before we began to trek back to the beach to grab our belongings out of the boats.

* * *

><p>When we had finally settled in a clearing and the sky was again (but this time naturally) getting dark, I approached Reaver who was sitting on one of the cots that he had commandeered. Mine was smaller but still extravagant due to the fact the men were sleeping on the ground. I flopped down onto my cot and felt pleasantly drowsy from the amount of food and drink I had consumed.<p>

"Do you want to come clean now?" I drawled and Reaver flicked his eyes up to meet mine. I smirked and rolled over on my back to keep my stomach from exploding and gave him my best Cheshire cat grin.

"Are you always this bloody impatient?" He asked and unfortunately, I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or really meant it.

"I've been called arrogant all the way to zealous but never impatient. Are you going to tell me what the hell was in the forest?"

Reaver leaned back on his cot and looked up at the appearing stars, "I'd prefer to keep that chapter of my life hands-off to the public my dear."

I leaned over my cot and brushed a spider off one of my discarded boots, "Come on. I told you all about how my brother died. You OWE me."

He turned over to face me and now I could see his eyes blazing, "No. I don't owe you anything. I allowed you to come on my ship. I allowed you to live that day in the Shadow Court where I would have been better off to kill you. I do not owe you for anything, Rosie."

He rolled over again and then said nothing, leaving me to my own devices. I rolled over on my own and looked up at the sky. We were quiet for about five minutes before Reaver finally sighed and rolled over, "Alright, alright. I'll tell what you want to know."

I grinned up to the stars and then turned onto my stomach, my face somber and stony, "Okay. Start at the beginning."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, making it stand deliciously on end. "When I was a mere lad, my father died unexpectedly in a storm that ripped his boat apart. After that, I not only feared death but wished to do anything keep from its icy grip." He sighed and closed his eyes slowly, "I had a lover named Abigail and I loved her with every fiber of my being."

I could see the picture now, Reaver and his Abigail hand in hand strolling down the street of some quaint little hamlet. A pang of jealousy shot through my being but I quelled it and urged him to continue.

"After my father died, I did everything short of selling my soul to stay immortal. When I found out about the Shadow Court, I never realized the consequences. Abigail was pregnant with my child when I made the deal and sold everything that made me Alexander to the Shadow Court. I became Reaver but at a price. To keep me alive, the Shadow Court took the lives of everyone I cared about and everyone in Oakvale." He opened his eyes and I felt hypnotized, "The area now called Wraithmarsh was where I began my reign of terror. I've been the Pirate Lord Reaver ever since my Abigail died."

I kept quiet for a few moments and allowed this information to be digested in my brain. Reaver had a lover. He had once actually loved. So it wasn't impossible to make him fall in love with someone. "So, why did we see it in the jungle today? Your past." I clarified as he arched an eyebrow.

"I can't say I know, my little minx," he said coyly, acting as if he had never said anything. "If you tell anyone about my past, I will hunt you down and slit your throat without another thought by the way. I thought I ought to give you a fair warning."

I opened my mouth to spit out a sarcastic and witty comment but a blood curdling shriek met my ears instead. My hand brushed against my pistol and the men looked around in confusion and in terror before looking at Reaver and me.

"Dammit! What the hell was that?" I yelped as the screams subsided. Reaver just looked back at me and now I could see that a new sort of fire was flickering in his eyes. He pulled out his Dragonstomper and cocked it, a wicked smile drawing over his handsome face.

"That my dear Rosie," he said, moving towards the sound, "Is the sound of adventure."

He took off into the jungle before I could say anything more and so with a call for my men to follow, we bounded off into the jungle to find him. We ran with torches that sent chilling shadows through the jungle and made me think that there was a wild animal in the brush, just waiting to pounce on us. Strangely enough, my own pendant the Shadow Court had given me was beginning to warm on my skin despite the fact I was covered in a cold sweat.

We followed Reaver as he slowed, looking for the source of the cries. They were softer but closer together than they had been before. Finally, Reaver made a sharp turn to the right and we were forced to follow him. What I saw next would shock me and scar me for the rest of my life in Albion because what was on that island shouldn't have been there.

In Reaver's arms was a girl who was unconscious and bleeding and in the trees above our heads was a red and gold biplane, hanging precariously in the canopy like a mockery to my time in Albion. The girl stirred slightly and opened her eyes. Reaver tightened his grip on her body and she turned her blue gaze to his green. She had blonde hair that might have been from the blood but I really didn't want to find out.

"Who are you?" She asked in a hushed whisper, touching Reaver's face gently, smearing blood on his cheek, "What is this place?"

"I don't know my pet," he said gently, putting her down on the ground, "I am Reaver, King of the Pirates and this is Rosie."

Her eyes flickered to mine for a split second and then they grew wide with recognition. "Rosie? We all thought you were dead…" She murmured before slumping again into unconsciousness. Reaver turned to me and his features shone with confusion at seeing my ashen face and shaky body.

"Rosie? Do you know this woman?" He asked slowly as I softly cleared my throat and took a step forward, placing my finger on the girl's pulse.

"Yeah…yeah I do," I looked down at her and realized she was dead, "This was the manager at the athletic club I worked at…her name is Kristen and she is the reason I'm here."

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><p><strong>If you're going to say something nasty, say it to my face. Don't go splatter it all over Tumblr. Reviews are appreciated.<strong>


	17. Tables of Rescue

**Gosh, this story has been so much fun to write...*Gleefully types away on her keyboard* Oh, sorry! I didn't see you sitting there! Well, it's now time for another author's note! **

**This one is special because I really wanted to take this time to thank so many of you for supporting me in my endeavors of this story. I am so thankful that I have reviewers like you guys. I'm not going to name names, but seriously, you guys made my day. You guys and your feedback are the reason I keep writing! I'm also really thankful to see that there's so many more people enjoying my story than that one girl's silly blog. I gotta say, on a few of your reviews, you guys had me close to tears because of some of the wonderful things you were saying. Honestly...Everyone who reviewed on the last chapter made my life. HONESTLY. **

**On another note...I'm working on my own original novel which hopefully will have a lot less grammatical mistakes than this silly story with no beta reader. XD It's funny to think we're not even halfway through this story and I just hit the 100 page mark! That's just a little ridiculous. **

**Anyway, moving on, thank to everyone who's kept me going so far and for feeding my ravenous review monster that lives under my computer...Now it's tummy is grumbling for more of those delicious critiques, comments and concerns. It also is telling me if you have a song suggestion for an upcoming chapter or a character, please leave it in your review! I have a playlist going on my profile. **

**And now, without further ado...Chapter 17.**

**Reaver © Lionhead Studios, Microsoft**

**Rosie Sharpp © Flamboyant Cuttlefish **

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><p><em>"Guess what? <em>  
><em>Another game over, <em>  
><em>And right now, <em>  
><em>You're the real loser. <em>  
><em>I don't know why, <em>  
><em>I wasted my time with you..."<em>

* * *

><p>"How did she get here?" He asked and I turned my eyes from her body to the plane in the canopy and stood up slowly.<p>

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be standing here wondering the same damn question," I snapped angrily and looked up to see the plane. I knew that Nate used to LOVE flying planes so I thought maybe he might be in the plane. Perhaps my whole time in Albion had been one totally messed up fever dream. Well a girl could certainly dream, couldn't she?

"Well then," Reaver said as he snapped his fingers for his men to pick up the body of the fallen Kristen, "We'll just have to explore at first light tomorrow."

"Screw first light," I mumbled and grasped the rough bark of the tree, "Somebody pass me up a torch."

Reaver slowly sauntered to the tree that I was now attempting to climb and looked at me like an amused parent, "You are surely joking, my dear Rosie."

"I'm not, and don't call me Shirley." I snorted at my own lame attempt at a joke as somebody passed me up a torch. I wrapped my fingers around it and then clung to the first branch, hauling myself up.

"If you see the plane falling and you hear screaming, I just want you to know that that will be me." I mumbled as I finally crawled across the tree and slowly slipped into the cockpit, ignoring the whine of the tree when I put my full weight into the plane. I fumbled around for something that would be better for lighting up the interior than just a torch and my hands closed around for something I hadn't seen in years.

It was a bumblebee yellow jumbo sized flashlight and would work for what I needed to do. Clicking it on, I swept the beam around the interior of the plane, my eyes finally finding the slumped body of the pilot, a large branch sticking out of his mutilated back. Instantly, I knew who the pilot was and I made my way towards him, my hands shaking.

"Nate," I gasped, praying that he wasn't dead. Thankfully, his head slowly turned towards me and I could see that he, like Kristen, didn't have long to go.

"Rosie…? Is that…?" he winced and gasped as he shifted slightly on the branch. I placed a hand on his uninjured side and tried to calm my pounding heart, "You were dead. I saw your body."

I gave a breathy little laugh and tucked a piece of hair behind my ears, "Maybe we're all dead." I joked, "Maybe this island is our limbo and maybe we're doomed to stay here forever."

Nate tried to give his own chuckle but then winced, "It only hurts when I laugh."

I gave him a shaky smile and then reached for the branch. However, before I could do anything, I felt his sticky hand on my wrist. "I know I'm going to die, Rosie. Whether or not this island is our limbo, I'm willing to take a chance." He looked back at me and then spoke again, "You were dead. I saw them pull your body out of the pool. They said that you hit your head against the bottom and drowned. I can't believe…I can't believe you're here again."

He began to hyperventilate and I put a hand on his forehead, "Relax. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

He gave me a small smile and then a shiver flew through his body. "I should have never treated you the way I did…You always deserved better."

I scoffed in spite of myself, "Not that I got better but thank you for the thought."

"Where are we?" He asked me softly and his eyelids fluttered slightly. I knew that he would be gone within a couple of minutes. I took a deep breath and tried to keep the tears out of my eyes. He was probably right anyway. In the guy's department, I was never able to really pick out winners but I personally always thought that I had deserved better. Of course, then fate had come along and decided to drop Captain Douche Bag in my lap before I had the chance to say hello Albion, goodbye Maine. However, I did always seem to be attracted to the bad boys.

I gulped, "We're in a place called Albion. Well…I am at least. I don't know how I got here but one minute, I was in the pool at the gym and the next I was in the middle of the ocean, being picked up by pirates." I wiped a stray tear out of my eye and blinked rapidly, "Hey Nate, you gotta stay with me."

He opened his eyes slowly and then gave me a lazy smile, "Even if I was to survive this, it wouldn't be worth it. I know that Kristen is dead. She went flying through the window when we landed and…"

He winced and then began to gasp for breath again, "I think the…branch…it punctured my…ugh…"

"Nate, please…" I managed to say before his head lolled forward and fell against the branch. I knew that my ex-boyfriend, bane of my existence and the man who had put me through Heaven and Hell, was now dead.

I took a step forward without thinking about where I was putting my feet and the plane gave a stomach rolling jerk to the front. I screamed as the plane pitched forward with a horrifying screech and I went tumbling forward. I smashed my head against the radio as my world tumbled around me and as I fell towards my demise, a single name escaped my lips.

"REAVER!"

Finally, as if fate was laughing at me, the plane crumpled as it hit the ground and the last thing I saw before my vision faded to black my brother came towards me, arms outstretched and half his face missing.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Beckman?"<p>

"Yes Captain?"

"Can you please fetch the body of the young man out of the…whatever that thing is?"

"Right away, Captain."

"And while you're at it, you might want to grab Miss Sharpp's body as well. I doubt she would appreciate it if we left her lying out cold on the ground."

"Are you sure she isn't dead, Captain?"

BANG! "No, but I assure you Mr. Beckman that you certainly are. Now, if anyone else is quite sure of Miss Sharpp's current state of being, please lay down on the ground next to Mr. Beckman so I can shoot you in an orderly fashion. No? Then for the love of Avo, will someone please pick up that poor girl's body?"

* * *

><p>I awoke on a cloud. Well, it wasn't exactly a cloud. It was more like…a very soft rock. My head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and pebbles. I couldn't move my neck and all that came out of me was a grunting noise. One of the crew members caught wind and then moved over towards me. "Hey Captain, I think that Miss Sharpp is coming around."<p>

Reaver was by my bedside in (as much as I wish to say it was an instant, it probably wasn't) leaning over me and checking my pulse, "How are you feeling?"

"Ugh…like someone filled my head with stuffing," I managed to get out, "And I've spent the last fifty years licking sand out of Aurora."

"You have the worst luck in the world, my little minx," Reaver said, brushing a stray curl out of my face, "But luckily, I have some of the best luck in the world. I am the Hero of Skill, after all."

"So you've told me," I scoffed and then winced as another massive headache pounded at my skull, "Did you bury Kristen and Nate?"

"Ah, so that was the young man's name? Pity they had to die…they were both such lovely people and I'm sure they would have made a lovely threesome."

I closed my eyes and groaned, "We are NOT going to talk about my ex and his girlfriend in that manner." I then remembered what Nate said and then reopened my eyes in puzzlement, "back in my world, they said I was dead. They recovered my body off the bottom of the pool where I worked."

Reaver arched an eyebrow and then smirked, "I'm sure you'll be all right, my dear. Tomorrow, we will go exploring the island and try and find this treasure."

"And how Nate and Kristen ended up getting to Albion in the first place." I reminded him but Reaver just waved the notion away.

"We'll of course look for that as well, my little flower but in the meantime, you should get your beauty rest. You're not looking very beautiful right now."

I grumbled a response and then closed my eyes, watching the flickering light dance behind my eyelids. Finally, I fell into a deep and dreamless sleep with the echoes of their words still bouncing off my membrane.

The next morning, I was awoken by Reaver poking my foot with his gun. When I opened my eyes to give him a death glare, he merely smiled at me and then slipped his gun back into its holster.

"Good morning my dear Rosie. Sleep well?" He asked brightly and I mumbled something about where he could stick his gun which didn't even wipe the smirk off his face. I turned back around to face him and arched an eyebrow.

"Well, aren't you in a good mood this morning?"

"Of course I am, my dear! There's treasure in the air and I intend to find it." He told me before throwing me a sword and gun, "I do believe these belong to you."

I nodded before sitting up, causing my head to spin. It was still throbbing duly from where I had smacked it on the radio but other than the bruises and pains, I had escaped the crash very well. The plane had fortunately landed on its nose, falling back onto its haunches and that meant I wasn't crushed, merely bashed up.

I downed some breakfast and some medicine that would help with the pain and then shouldered my pack, glancing to see how the rest of the camp was doing. The men seemed to be buzzing with the excitement of finding the legendary treasure of the island as they began to trek through the jungle.

Looking back at it, I assumed that we should have been aware that there were no birds singing overhead and no animals in the underbrush that cowered before our massive boots. Actually, besides us, the island seemed to be completely deserted.

I was at the front of the line with Reaver and I glanced over at him, "So…any ideas why Nate and Kristen ended up coming from my world to this one?"

He glanced over at me and then gave me a little smirk, "You really think I have all the answers?"

I scoffed and then pulled ahead of him, "You're finally admitting you don't know everything?"

"Au contraire, my little minx. I never claimed I knew everything."

"Touché, Pirate Lord."

"All in a day's work, Pirate Princess."

I gave him a look and he stopped and something that might have been puzzlement crossed over his face, "What?"

"Don't call me Pirate Princess. I'm not royalty and I sure as hell don't want to be something straight out of a Disney movie."

"What's Disney?"

"It's…never mind. It's too long and complicated to explain." I snapped and then tried to tread through the jungle. I wasn't sure why I was so cranky about being called a Pirate Princess, but it just rubbed me the wrong way, especially when my head was spinning like a record.

That's when I saw it and my whole body froze. Reaver came up and ran into the back of me with a little grunt and I turned slowly to face him, "Please tell me that thing is part of my imagination," I said in a hushed whisper as his eyes turned to where I was pointing.

From the widening of his own eyes, I knew that the giant train that was sitting in the middle of the jungle wasn't all in my head. It was really there.

"Great Avo and Skorm…what is that thing?" He asked in a tone of awe and wonder that was reserved for the unknown. Now the other men were slowly coming into the clearing that held the strange metal object that nobody had ever seen before. The train was lying halfway on its side, due to the fact that it was propped up by several trees. The train had behind it a multitude of freight cars that lay crumpled behind the engine like a child's set of toys. However, what really surprised me was how old the engine was. I had seen one that looked similar in my history book when I was in school but what really made me curious was the fact that it still held its luster. The train looked as if it had only been there for a few days, a week at the most.

"What in the name of the great gods is that?" A sailor demanded and I waved my hand to shut him up.

"It's called a train," I explained and then men scooted forward as I slowly made my way towards the open freight cars, "In my world, it carries supplies and people from one place to another."

"Like a horse?" A man asked and I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. First a plane and now this?

"Back when it was first introduced, it was called the Iron Horse," I explained, finally getting up the nerve to touch the side of the engine. Stone cold. "How did it get out here?"

"Same way that plane of yours got here, Missy." Came a sudden voice and the crew whipped out their various lethal apparatuses. Suddenly, an older woman stepped out of the bushes and she gave our party a nasty little smirk, "You can put those away. There's no need for violence on our island."

The woman was strikingly beautiful. She was probably in her late 50's with a mop of dark hair and piercing brown eyes. Her skin was as brown as a nut and her lips were plump. However, it was her clothes that really caught my attention. She was wearing a pair of jeans and an old sweater with a picture of Mickey Mouse.

"Who are you?" Reaver asked, his gun never wavering. The woman stepped into the clearing and then put two hands on her hips. I noted she had a Revolver stuck on one of her hips and my mind instantly went back to when she said that we wouldn't need our weapons.

"Sugar, I think the better question is who you are assuming how you're the ones trespassing. Probably looking for the treasure, aren't you?" The woman gave Reaver a little smile and I was proud to say the deviant didn't even bat an eyelash.

"Yes, we are. Now, I'd hate to put a bullet between your eyes in your own home but we are not leaving this island empty handed. Now, hand over that treasure."

"I thought you might say that," She said sadly and suddenly, a shrill whistle bounced off the trees. I thumbed back the hammer of my gun and then looked at the woman in horror.

"What did you just do?" I demanded and the woman turned her attention to me.

"I just called my friends. You aren't going to leave the island peacefully and so we have to get you to leave by other means," She responded as if she was discussing the weather. My grip tightened on my gun and I aimed it at her head.

"Not until you tell us what's going on here!" I snapped angrily and she gave a little laugh.

"Oh my dear, it's almost beyond my knowledge. I'm really not the person to ask but I'll try my best to explain it to you in what little time we have."

"Then don't try my patience and tell me!" I yelled and then woman sighed softly.

"Alright. This place, this island is a…"

BANG!

The woman lurched backwards suddenly as a bullet flew between her eyes and lodged itself in her brain. Her brown eyes went wide for a split second as a waterfall of blood spewed from her forehead. Like a tree in the forest, the woman swayed slightly and then tumbled to the ground, landing on her face. I whipped around to see Reaver who was smirking and holding the smoking culprit.

"REAVER!" I screamed and stormed over to him, "HOW COULD YOU KILL HER?"

"Easy, I just pulled the trigger of my gun," he responded snidely and before I could stop myself, I balled up my fist and it slammed into his jaw with a resounding CRACK!

Instantly, I regretted what I had done. When he faced me again, I could see that he had cut his lip. Slowly, he drew his gloved hand over the cut and pulled it away, the whole time looking at me. My hands flew up to my mouth and in horror; I realized that I would probably be shot. However, in my defense, Reaver just glanced at me and then gave me a little smirk.

"I probably deserved that. By the way Rosie, you hit like a girl."

I began to say something nasty and condescending to him but instead I was interrupted by a terrifying screech that echoed through the jungle. We turned slowly towards the sound and suddenly, something went whistling by my ear and embedded itself less than an inch away from my head in the metal of the train car.

"Okay, it's time to go." I said urgently and broke into a run, Reaver right on my heels.

The crew left the train far behind us as we took off in the general direction of the beach. As the screams became more prominent and the cries of men met my ears, I knew that whatever these horrible creatures were, they were faster than us.

"We can't outrun them!" I yelled through ragged breaths and I saw Reaver nod as we surged forward. If there was one thing that I had the one up on the Pirate Lord that would be in the department of endurance, meaning I could run faster than him and so, putting my head down and pumping my arms, I surged forward, not even bothering to see if anyone was following me.

Suddenly, my eyes spied a fallen tree and I dove for it, curling up into a little ball, praying that the creatures didn't find me. I listened to the screams and shrill cries of my men getting closer and closer to my hiding spot until I heard Reaver himself gasping outside my place of solitude. I saw his shadow across my hiding spot and then I heard him give out a yell of surprise as something or someone tackled him.

"Where is the female?" A woman's voice hissed and I heard Reaver give a small wail as something was pulled out of its socket. An arm, probably.

"I don't know. She was in front of me and then-Ah!" With a sickening POP, Reaver's entire arm had been dislocated.

"Do not lie to us, Pirate Man," Now a masculine voice snapped angrily, "We know there was a woman in your group! Tell us, where is the woman who shot Victoria?"

"She ran off before I could see where she went!" Reaver gasped, "She couldn't have made it to the beach."

There came a silence and then somebody's boot came into contact with Reaver's head. One of the people moved in the underbrush and they began speaking.

"He's right, you know. We had scouts down there and they would have caught the girl if she had tried to escape with the boats." The female said, a tone of amusement lacing her voice.

"She's probably hiding somewhere around this area…" The male mused and I curled up tighter in my little ball. They couldn't find me, they just couldn't. Suddenly, I saw the masculine shadow right outside my fallen log. "Probably right about…"

"Luke! Ellen! We've captured all of the pirate scum!" Another voice was heard, "Bring your big guy and let's get back to camp. I don't want to be out here at night…"

"Good point, if she survives the night, we'll come back tomorrow and look for her."

The male snorted and I heard them grunt as they tried to pick up Reaver's weight between them. "She didn't look very tough. I doubt she's gonna last an hour."

The female laughed and I heard them tromp away, Reaver between them. As soon as I couldn't hear their voice anymore, I peeked out and noticed that there was blood near where Reaver had fallen. I slowly, silently made my way over to the spot and crouched down to see what might have happened. Unfortunately, I was no tracker and couldn't exactly depict what happened and so, instead, I stood up and began to wander slowly back to the beach.

However, remembering what the people had said made me stop in my tracks. They had said that they had people watching the beach. Would they still be there? Should I risk it? Deciding I would be better off going back towards the train wreckage, I began picking through the underbrush, trying to make it back to the train.

By the time I made it back, I was hot, sweaty, thirsty and tired. It was probably 11 in the morning and so, with my head throbbing, I crawled up into one of the overturned boxcars to escape the heat. Slowly, I closed my eyes and yawned, feeling the heat attacking my senses.

_I can't fall asleep, my men need me,_ I chided myself, stifling a yawn. Finally, I decided that I was no good to Reaver or my men if I was drowsy, I curled up into a small ball and closed my eyes, thinking about the ways to rescue my crew.

* * *

><p><strong>So, now new questions comes to our attention. How are these modern things from Rosie's world (including her ex and his girlfriend) coming to Reaver's world? Who are the people on the island? What's on the island at night? Stay tuned dear readers! <strong>

**For a quicker update, try reviewing! Fun, fast and fulfilling!**


	18. The Deal

**Almost a year later and I FINALLY updated this story. My apologies to everyone who waited such a long time to see what would happen to Rosie and Reaver. **  
><strong>So, since I only went back a few chapters, still trying to figure out this whole thing with the two of them. I have part two all planned out. It won't be as long as part one but it will be just as interesting. Hope you stick around to find out. <strong>  
><strong>And, as always, please keep the flames to a minimum. Yes, I realize that I'm out of practice for writing Rosie and Reaver but I will try my best to write for both. Anywhoo, other than that, reviews are gold! Friendly critiques are glorious, words of encouragement are the best! Please give to a writer whom is paid in your feedback. <strong>

**So, without further ado, the reinstatement of Better Off Reaver!**  
><strong>Reaver (c) Lionshead <strong>  
><strong>Rosie Sharpp (c) The Queen of Asgard<br>**

* * *

><p><em>And though the truth may vary, <em>  
><em>This ship will carry our, <em>  
><em>Bodies safe to shore.<br>_

* * *

><p>Afternoon light filtered into the freight car as I opened my eyes and winced slightly at the sudden onslaught of light. Suddenly, everything came crashing back down to Earth. Reaver…my crew…they had all been captured and I was the only one left.<p>

"Son of a bitch," I swore slightly and then moved my still stiff neck. Nobody ever said that falling out of a tree from a plane was a picnic. I stood up slowly, ignoring my protesting limbs and rolled my shoulders, wondering what I would do next.

"Don't move," A new voice hissed and my breath caught in my throat as I felt the business end of a gun pointed at my backside. "Who are you? Are you the one who shot Victoria?"

"What's it to you?" I asked snidely, feeling the gun being prodded into my backside. I winced and brushed my hand against the holster of my own gun.

"I'll shoot you before you could even pull it out," The voice threatened and wedged the gun farther into my ribcage, "Now, I'll ask you again. Were you the pirate who shot Victoria?"

I hesitated. They could kill Reaver if I told the voice that he had done. On the flipside, they could kill me now that they had found me. Gut told me to go with Reaver but my heart had plans of its own.

"It was I. I killed Victoria."

I flinched, terrified that a bullet would find its way to my cranium. Instead, the gun was dropped and I was able to turn around. I was surprised to see a boy with a mop of wild blonde hair and milky eyes. The boy was blind. He was probably around 16 or so and taller than my own 5 feet and 4 inches.

"You knew what this was," The boy said, jerking his head in the direction of the engine, "You're not from this world, are you?"

"What are you talking about?" I demanded, feeling my heart hammer in my chest, "I am from here!"

The boy barked out a dry laugh and then shook his head in disagreement, "I heard you last night. You knew what the plane was and you knew what a train is. How did you get here if you didn't come through the Portal?"

I furrowed my brow and cocked my head, "I don't know what you're talking about…"

The boy gave me a long hard look that might have been intimidating if he hadn't been staring two inches above my head, "What's your name?"

"Rosie. Rosie Sharpp, Pirate Lord and the people you captured are my crew." I admitted, "Why haven't you killed me?"

The boy gave a snort and then walked over to the side of the car, "You're lucky I found you. My name is Colin and I was the only one who hated Victoria's guts. Come on, if you want the full story, you've got to come with me."

He jumped into the jungle with surprisingly confident leaps for someone who was blind. I followed hesitantly until he turned back to me and gave me a smirk, "You're wondering how I can move so well while I'm blind."

"Well…yeah! It was a question that was on my mind." I admitted and he gave a laugh.

"The island lets you…see things. I can't exactly explain it. I can sense color and body heat even though I was born without sight."

He crashed through the underbrush with such vigor it was hard to not listen to his tale, no matter how loud he was, "Colin, how did you get onto this island? Where are you from?"

He turned around and gave me a grin, "San Francisco, California!"

Silence filled my ears until ringing replaced it. He was from San Fran?! "You've got to be joking me."

He leapt over a log as I struggled over it, "No joke…but we're almost here. I think that this will explain more than I ever could."

Colin stopped a few paces later in front of a large stone building that held hieroglyphics of people sitting and worshipping some deity. The building was obviously old for it was covered in moss and ivy and as I slowly approached, I could feel a gentle but definite pull towards the dark mouth of the temple.

"What is this place?" I murmured, reaching out to touch the side of the building. Colin grabbed my wrist before I could touch it without warning and I gasped softly.

"Don't touch it," he said gruffly, "This is the place we came from, The Temple of the Ever After where we all entered this world."

"What do you mean?" I asked softly, my eyes still drinking in the strange sight. Colin sat down in the dust and dirt and then beckoning a flower to his left to join him. His Spidey Senses were good but they weren't perfect by any means. I sat down on his right and looked up at the temple.

"I was born without sight," Colin began, "My mom didn't want me and so I ended up with my grandparents on my mother's side. They were as cruel and vindictive as my mom and tripped me on purpose and made sure I didn't get a cane or anything. My life was nothing more than a big black hole and I was spiraling into it." He closed his eyes and a tear trickled down his cheek, "When I was 14, I decided to end it. I knew a general way to get to the Golden Gate Bridge and so in the middle of the night I got on a bus that I thought would take me to a park three blocks from the bridge. As I was standing on the cables, getting ready to end it, I thought I heard someone calling my name. That's when I jumped and just as the cold enveloped me, a warm, musty breeze hit my face and I really opened my eyes for the first time."

"I felt stones under my hands and knees and a humid wind at my back with the sounds of birds in my ears. At first I thought I was in Heaven but then I remembered what my grandma had told me about how suicidal deaths to straight to Hell. When Victoria found me, she told me about the Portal, the thing that had brought me to this world."

"And what is The Portal?" I breathed, barely moving my lips.

"The Portal is something that cannot be described. It brings people here to this island for reasons unknown. My friend Luke was driving his car when he found himself20 feet underwater and then he swam to the island. Victoria had been walking down the street when she found herself in the room inside the temple."

The hair on the back of my neck prickled and I suppressed a shiver, "I was swimming when something dragged me under the water and I was found by Reaver. Could that have been The Portal?"

Colin's brow furrowed and he glanced towards the general direction of the temple, "I've never heard of someone being dragged down. It's always someone just…coming to the island. There's never another party that helps with The Portal."

Another question popped into mind, "So…does The Portal stay in one particular time frame? That train…it's so old!"

Colin laughed dryly, "We have several people from all sorts of times in history. The man driving the train died when he derailed through The Portal. It moved through space and time, dropping people in strange, random places on the island. However, the people who come through the temple are considered special and sometimes receive special gifts. Victoria was considered one of these people. She had the ability to see the future."

"The future?" I repeated, thinking of the mysterious Seer I had first seen during my time on Reaver's ship, "Is there anyone else who's come through The Portal?"

Colin cocked his head in thought, "Not since I've been here. I was the last one to come through."

"Can you go back through The Portal?" I asked slowly and Colin gave another nasty laugh.

"The last person who tried to do that had her brains come out through her ears." He snickered, "There is no way off this island. If someone other than the ones who came from the room goes into the temple, they will never come out."

"What's past the room that you came from?" I asked and Colin whipped his head so that he was looking in my general direction.

"A labyrinth of caves that goes on for miles under the island. They say that a great beast slumbers there, guarding a great treasure."

My stomach gave a lurch. This was the treasure that Reaver was looking for. Was it possible it was under the island?

"Of course, nobody on the island has ever seen the treasure," Colin plowed on. Boy, he liked to talk, "If someone was to find the treasure, he would die instantly to even get close to the door."

"Both the goddess and the Devil." I murmured without thinking until I realized that Colin had gone silent, "What?"

"Where did you hear that?" He hissed angrily and my eyes widened.

"Oh, I heard it from a piece of paper that Reaver…"

"Don't speak that poem! It's sacred!" He hissed, grabbing my wrist, digging his nails into the flesh.

"Colin, you're hurting me!" I gasped, pulling my hand from his grasp, "I don't know what the hell you're going on about but I'd really like to get my crew back and get off your island."

Colin gave her a wry smile and then nodded his head towards the dilapidated temple, "I'll help you get them off."

"Really, because that would be great…"

Colin held up a hand to silence me, "I never said I would help you without a price." His blind eyes dug into mine as he arched an eyebrow, "There is more to that poem than your friend probably led on."

I closed my mouth as he continued, "It is said that only the goddess can appease the monster."

"What is that supposed to mean?!" I snapped as Colin's smirk turned into a full on leer.

"I think we both know," He chuckled as I stood up, "Anyway, go through the hallway and then go straight back into the chamber. If you're what he wants then he will allow you into the labyrinth. If you're not…Well, then it's been nice knowing you."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence," I mumbled looking towards the temple, "What exactly did you want if I get passed the guardian monster thing?"

Colin thought for a moment before answering, "There is a well in the heart of the labyrinth. Drink from this well and you will give you what you desire most."

"You wish to see the island with your own eyes?" I asked slowly as Colin laughed bitterly and shook his head sadly.

"No, I wish to control this island and its inhabitants. Can you do this for me?" He asked as he handed me a small flask.

Stupid…stupid…stupid…My head screamed at me as I nodded, then realized that he couldn't see it.

"Alright, I'll do it." I said slowly as Colin motioned to the mouth of the temple and I removed my gun, slowly making my way towards the gaping maw.

"I can't believe I'm doing this for you, you stupid moron." I grumbled as I moved up the stairs towards where the slumbering monster stood guarding the treasure that would be either my pitfall or my saving grace.

The interior of the temple was even larger than I expected with tarnished gold, silver and bronze décor. At the far end was a pair of stone pillars that disappeared into the shadows of the ceiling. I took a deep breath and held up my gun, looking at the stone dais at the end of the room that held two thrones and lower half of a masculine looking body who sat on the larger chair. The rest of his body was too covered in shadows but as he stood up, my breath hitched in my throat. God smite me down for having such a weakness to guys with beautiful smiles and eyes!

"Hello, Rosalind." He said softly and even though we had to be at least 200 feet away, I could hear him. Trying to calm my throbbing heart, I held up my gun and narrowed my eyes.

"Who are you?!" I demanded as the man began closing the distance between us.

"Oh my dear, do you not recognize my face?" He asked, before suddenly appearing right next to me. I screamed as he grabbed the gun from my grip and smiled coldly. "I am everything you loved in each man you have fallen in love with."

"W…what?" I asked softly as his hand gripped my chin, tilting it up so his stormy colored eyes could look into my brown ones.

"You've certainly grown up, my goddess," He said as he let me go and then took a step backwards, "Of course; you're a very special girl. You knew that already though, didn't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I managed to get out before he walked around me, like a cat stalking his prey, "Did you bring me here?

"I bring everyone who is special to this island. You just wandered from my gaze long enough to where someone else took control of your destiny," his eyes flashed angrily but the smile never left his perfect lips, "No matter now. Your destiny will fall into place soon enough. It's in the very soil of this island."

"Now, I don't let just anyone walk into my throne room. Actually, the last girl they tried to throw in here, I killed and ate her heart."

I shivered as the man stopped in front of me, "I don't understand. Why haven't you eaten mine?"

The man chortled and then placed a hand over his own heart, "I am Cerberus, Judger of Hearts and Slayer of Man and you, Rosalind…"

"Rosie," I blurted out before I could help it.

He arched an eyebrow but then continued, "Excuse me, Rosie Sharpp, as I have heard the name, are as devious as your partner…"

"He's NOT my partner," I said as Cerberus chuckled softly and touched my shoulder.

"Of course not. He is only a part of your plot, isn't he?"

I opened my mouth to deny what he was talking about but of course, nothing came out. He chortled and then leaned down right next to me.

"You could do it you know. You could go deep into the chambers of my labyrinth and find what you desire most."

I turned my head to him, "What are you talking about?"

"Did that boy out there tell you about the pool in the heart of my maze that will grant you your heart's desire?" Cerberus asked as my eyebrows furrowed together.

"He did say…" I began as the man threw back his head and barked out a laugh.

"Foolish humans! They should know by now about the way my island works…" Cerberus snorted and then ran a hand through his delicious looking hair. "And apparently you know that since you are now here, you have to go rescue that foolish man so that I may fight him…"

I felt my body grow cold, "What happens if he wins?"

Cerberus glanced down at me and sighed, rolling his eyes, "If he wins, you are allowed to go free with your crew."

"And if he doesn't?"

Cerberus smiled coldly and licked his lips, "Then I will eat your hearts."

My eyes went wide and Cerberus smirked as I gripped my necklace. "The joke's on you then," I said softly, never turning my gaze away, "We don't have hearts."

Cerberus laughed softly and then reached behind me. I winced but he merely pulled out my braid, allowing my thick brown hair to cascade around my shoulders.

"Oh my dear Rosie. I think we both know that one of your has a heart. But I don't think Reaver realizes he has it, does he?"

If it was possible, my eyes widened even more and I ripped myself out of his grasp, "I…I don't know what you're talking about."

Cerberus laughed again and pulled something out of his pocket, "I know how you feel about him, Rosalind. This is my island, after all." He held it up to a beam of light and a spectrum of color flashed against the floor, "I believe you owe a certain someone this. It brings forth your greatest desire, doesn't it?"

The thing he was holding was a vial of what appeared to be water and he grabbed my hand and wrapped my fingers around it, "Or maybe, you should keep it for yourself. It could serve as a reminder to what you really want most."

"I still don't understand…"

He made a 'shoo-shoo' motion with his hand and I slowly turned around to leave but his voice once again filled the temple, "I hope you realize why I didn't kill you."

I didn't even turn around, "No, I don't."

"It's because when I do eat your hearts together, I will be able to break out of this prison and rule this world and yours."

I took a deep breath and then felt my voice shake, "Reaver will destroy you."

He chuckled and I felt a cool breath on the nape of my neck, "I dare him to try."


	19. Treasure of the Heart

**Hey look! A new chapter! Holy Garrus! **  
><strong>Anyway, thanks all for reviewing. Sorry I didn't update. Life sort of wrapped it's unforgiving claws around my neck and strangled all the ideas for this story out of my mind. But, now I'm back and better than ever. <strong>  
><strong>Question though. Since this IS a two part story, what would you have me do? A completely new story or just a part two added onto this one? I'm up for either but I'd really like to finish this one. It will be one that I will be finishing so you will get your Reaver fix. <strong>  
><strong>Other than that...I haven't played the Fable games in probably a year so...need to do that so I can begin working on the next few chapters. <strong>  
><strong>Reviews are lovely, please share your feels with love and words.<br>**

* * *

><p>I stumbled back out of the temple disoriented and feeling nauseous. The first thing that grabbed me was Colin and I nearly struck him with the back of my hand.<p>

"What did he say?! Did you get the water?!" He demanded as I wrenched my arm out of his grip and glared, taking a moment to realize that he couldn't see my facial expressions anyway.

"He told me how to get the treasure."

"And what of the water?"

I felt the vial in my pocket grow heavier, "He said that we would get the water if Reaver managed to defeat him."

Colin was quiet and his milky eyes narrowed in suspicion. For a horrifying moment, I wondered if he knew if I was lying but instead he merely shrugged and then brushed his hand aside, "Then we must hurry to their camp and save your people."

I agreed quietly and we began our trek back through the jungle.

We didn't speak, there was no reason to, especially with me. I had betrayed him, even if he didn't know it yet. He moved quicker than me and even more silently through the underbrush than I was.

"Hey, wait up!" I called as he ducked seamlessly under another fallen log. Whipping around, he shot a nasty glare four feet over my head and narrowed his eyes.

"They might be out here, you stupid girl!" He hissed as I stopped and narrowed my eyes.

"Excuse me, Mr. Grumpy." I muttered, putting my hands on my hips, "How much farther?"

"Far enough. Their camp is about 45 minutes away and your friends are probably getting tortured with spikes dipped in the sap of the stinging trees that grow here." Colin said almost gleefully as I suppressed a shudder. Sure I didn't like Reaver but I didn't think he needed to be stabbed by any nasty spikes. We continued through the forest, sunlight dancing in the trees as droplets of water splashed in front of me like shattering diamonds.

Finally, when I wondered if I could be quiet any longer, I opened my mouth only to have Colin slam his clammy hand over it. I gasped as he whipped back and gave the tree to my right the death glare.

"We're almost there. You need to be quiet now." He hissed as he removed his hand.

"I thought I was being quiet." I grumbled as Colin snorted.

"I've heard elephants with more grace than you." He said as I narrowed my eyes and resisted the urge to put a sword through his heart. "We have to lay low until nightfall but…"

Suddenly, he gasped and fumbled for my arm, pulling us towards a fallen tree. No sooner had he done that than I heard two sets of feet crashing through the underbrush.

"…Too bad we haven't been able to find that one woman." One of the voices, distinctly male said as a woman sighed and I heard the shifting of a gun.

"Yeah, but the island's only so big. We're destined to find her." She said and I shivered when I heard the malice in her voice, "And when we do…she'll get double what her friends are getting."

"If you could double death," The man snorted as the woman chuckled and their footsteps disappeared into the jungle. I felt my heart drop to my stomach. They were planning on KILLING Reaver. Then again, I wouldn't blame them. If they hadn't gotten to him now, I might have killed him soon anyway.

"They're going to kill them then." Confirmed as I rolled my eyes as glanced back.

"Alright. Well, obviously we can't save them right now. What should we do?" I asked softly as Colin pursed his lips.

"We've got to stay out of the shadows and wait until nightfall so we can save them." He confirmed as I groaned inwardly.

"But they're killing them and we don't know when! I don't want to miss that!" I hissed angrily as Colin shrugged.

"You're lucky I didn't leave you out there in that jungle since you didn't have the water." He said as I scowled and brushed my pocket with the vial in it. I wondered if I should just give it to him. No. That would be stupid. I didn't trust him, I had no reason to. He had almost had me killed twice and for all I knew he had alerted his people already and they were really looping back around to kidnap me. I suppressed the thought from my mind and then sighed and leaned against the fallen tree.

"Alright. Wake me when it's nighttime." I said before dipping my hand into my pocket and dropping the water into a knot in case he frisked me while I was sleeping. I then pulled my hat over my eyes and in the heat and humidity of the day, I instantly fell back to sleep.

"Wake up Rosie." A voice said sharply as I pulled up my hat and glanced at Colin who was sitting in the ground. The last remains of the pink sunset where just touching the east as I stood up slowly and stretched.

"Is it time?" I asked and Colin nodded as I sat back down and he began speaking.

"Alright. Here's the plan. They usually keep the prisoners in the back in about five or six different buildings. Find your…Pirate Lord and then we've got to get out of there."

"Okay, I also have to unleash the rest of my crew but it shouldn't be too hard to find Reaver. He'll probably be easy to find since he'll be making the most noise." I chortled at my joke as I picked up the vial of water and we started back through the jungle.

It was getting harder to see and I kept tripping over logs and vines but Colin moved with such ease it was almost creepy. "Hurry up!"

"I'm trying!" I hissed angrily as a flicker caught my eye. "Hold up, there's fire right there. Is that…?"

"The camp, yes. We have to skirt around the buildings to get into the ones closest to the jungle," Colin explained as a large group of buildings came into view. They were crude, yes, but they were indeed buildings that the people lived in.

"So…then we look into windows and see who's where?" I asked and Colin nodded.

"Yes. There is no glass in the windows so we can also hear if there are captives in the buildings. Alright, here we go. You have to be quiet or they'll find us." He said as we began inching towards the buildings, yellow light pouring out into perfect little squares. Colin listened at the first house and heard the muffled cries of some of my men. I nodded and peeked around the corner of the building to see if anyone was coming. To my great relief, nobody was and so we ducked around and opened the door. There, on the floor was about a quarter of the men with wide eyes and sweaty foreheads with gags. I leaned down and pulled the gags off one and he gasped slightly.

"Lady Sharpp, you came to save us!" He gasped as I sighed and smiled slightly.

"How could I leave you? You are my family." I said softly as I looked up and around. "Where's Reaver?"

"They took him to another house. I think he's by himself." The man looked back at me, his eyes shining, "Oh please, can't we just leave him?"

"We can't. He's the only way to get the treasure." I said simply as his eyes widened even more.

"Lady Sharpp! We cannot go after the treasure! We have to escape this island while we're all still alive." The man said softly but sharply as I pulled a knife from my pocket and looked at it menacingly.

"But if we come home with nothing, all our efforts will be for naught." I said smoothly as he gulped audibly before I reached around and cut through his binds, "As soon as you can, you and the rest of the men meet me in the clearing with the airplane."

"The what?"

"The big bird metal thing that crashed in the jungle. Meet me there and I'll explain everything."

"Aye, aye Miss."

I smiled and Colin and I jumped from the window and relayed the message to each house that had men in it. Fortunately, I had the knack of carrying more than one knife on me and knives were stupidly left in drawers. All the weapons that had been taken from them had been piled in another room and so each of the men were armed as they climbed through the window. As soon as all of them had escaped into the darkness of night (Colin leading them back to the clearing) I sighed, squared my shoulders and went in search of my partner in crime.

I listened quietly at each wall until I heard something that made my heart drop to my stomach and my vision go slightly red. It was the creak of a bed and the labored moans of a woman getting the stuffing pounded out of her and the words of a rather devious pirate doing the pounding.

"Oh…oh…Mr. Reaver…"

"Yes my little minx…?"

"Don't stop, just keep…oh Mr. Reaver…"

"Hush now Anna. Just breathe and…"

"Oh! I'm going to…"

I peeked around to see if anyone was coming and then skulked around the corner of the building to allow the door to creak open. This house was a little more elaborate with a wall separating what appeared to be a bedroom. The building was almost completely dark except for a flickering candle in the other room. The squeaking and moans were a lot louder in here. I silently unsheathed my sword and slid through the room like a shadow. I would kill her!

I peeked around the corner and saw the voluptuous body sitting on top of a rather familiar sight and I narrowed my eyes, feeling sickness curl in the bowels of my stomach.

"There's a girl, just a little farther…" Reaver's voice left me sick to my stomach as I slipped from the shadows and saw his eyes were closed in rapture. His hands were on her breasts and she was wailing like a banshee.

I gripped the handle of my sword and suddenly stepped out of the shadows, my blade flashing in candlelight. Her back was to me but I saw rather clearly as my sword pierced her chest and showered Reaver in blood. He opened his eyes in surprise as the girl looked down, muttered a little, 'oh' and slid onto the floor, clearly dead. Reaver continued to lay there gawking at my bloodstained blade as he slowly stood up and fumbled for the gun that was surprisingly by the bedside table. I took two steps towards him, my hand snaking out and slapping him across the cheek as hard as I could.

"HOW COULD YOU?!" I shrieked as I whipped out my own gun and pointed at him. He gave me a knee weakening smile and brushed back a loose clump of hair.

"Now don't be rash, darling. I had my rescue all planned out…" He began before I turned away and blinked away tears as he pulled on his pants. I whipped around and scowled at him before turning around once again, his form all blurry because of the tears.

"Are you really that stupid to believe that you could have escaped without me?!" I demanded as Reaver shrugged and arched an eyebrow.

"Come off it, my pet. I didn't mean…" He began but not before I shoved my blade under his nose and narrowed my eyes.

"Stop. Just stop it. I'm sick of the lies and the deceit. I want off this island and then I want to get away from you." I snapped before flicking my sword away and dropping it to the side, "Get your damn pants on and let's go."

"I just think you're over reacting just a bit, my sweet." Reaver said as he buttoned his shirt and I scowled and rolled my eyes, "Oh, I know what's going on. You're jealous of that girl."

I whipped around and clenched my teeth, fighting back the urge to be sick, "I am NOT jealous of that girl!"

"Well at least you have no competition now. She's dead," He chuckled and poked her head with the toe of his boot, "I was planning on killing her, you know, after everything happened between us." He added quickly before I glanced out the window to make sure that nobody was coming.

"The crew said they would meet us back at the clearing with the airplane."

Again, I was met with the same glazed over expression, "The yellow bird thing. Come on before they've realized we've gone."

Reaver finished putting on his cape, took one look at himself in the mirror and then jumped out the window. I glanced behind me at the corpse of the girl and suppressed the urge to vomit. I never killed just for the bloodlust. I had always killed for a reason. I never wanted to be like…him. Now standing there looking at the body of a woman who might have had a family…somebody probably loved her…who had a future and I had taken that away. I felt sick.

Shivering, I followed him out the window and landed with a small 'thump' next to him. "Well then, my little thorn, shall we be off?"

I stood up and unsheathed my sword, "Your little thorn, eh? That's a new pet name," I said sarcastically, running towards the sounds of brush breaking and towards my men. I shoved past thick branches and stumbled over logs as we raced through the jungle, away from the shouts and cries of surprise as the villagers found the empty houses…and the corpse of the dead girl.

I shivered but we continued, flying through the forest like we had hell on our heels…which, in truth, we did.

When we finally burst into the clearing, the men had lit torches and Colin was standing in their midst, looking almost smug.

"I brought them to where you like. Now, can we please go get the water?" He whined as I rolled my eyes and sheathed my blade.

"No, we're getting off this island."

"Now, now, Rosie. No need to be rash. We also have treasure to claim," Reaver pointed out as I scowled and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. I pulled myself away from his grip and he arched an eyebrow and gave me a smirk that would usually make my knees go weak. "Was it something I said?"

"You know damn well what's wrong you heartless twat," I snapped before shrugging his arms off and looking at Colin, "Alright. We'll go get your damn water. Let's go."

His eyes looked like moons as he gave me a wicked smile, "Excellent, let's go."

We trekked through the jungle quickly and quietly. There was about 75 crew members in our party and I wondered how many of them would make it out alive. Shrugging the thought out of my mind, we finally stopped in front of the temple and I sighed and looked over at Reaver.

"I need to talk to you," I said softly as he glanced over at me, his eyes shining in the torchlight.

"Alright, let's hear it," He said almost coolly as I took off my hat, rotated it and then placed it back on my head.

"There's something in there that's called Cerberus and it's the guardian of the temple, the deity that these people worship." I explained as Reaver scoffed and took out his gun.

"No need to fear, I will dispatch him as soon as we walk through the door!" He declared as I scowled again.

"Reaver, you can't do that. He…" I sighed, clenching my fists, "He said that you have to defeat him. If you don't, he'll eat both of our souls."

Reaver scoffed and once again smirked, "You and I both know we don't have souls."

This statement made my blood freeze. I liked to think of myself better than him but in that few seconds, I knew differently. I was no better than a killer, a lustful man who prided himself in alcohol, sex, killing and money. I now knew that when I gave my soul over to the Shadows, that it wasn't just for my own benefit to save my skin. Oh no, I was just as bad as he was.

I swallowed nosily and then squared my shoulders, "Alright, let's go then."

Reaver pulled out his sword and then smirked, "Besides, I plan on getting out of this alive." He turned the crew, "Alright you lot, stay out here until either we've come out or if we haven't come out by morning, come in after us."

A few murmured words were spoken by the crew as Reaver smiled broadly, grabbed a torch and then, followed closely by me, walked into the temple.

The light went out as soon as we crossed the threshold of the temple and our world was plunged into darkness.

"Ah, Rosie, you're back," Cerberus purred in the darkness as the room was lit but some unknown force. I shivered as I watched him shed his long robe to show off his shocking physique. He really was built like a god, "I wondered if you weren't just going to leave me here to wait for another goddess to help raze this island."

"Well, I brought friends, too," I said, motioning to Reaver who looked Cerberus up and down like a piece of meat.

"Well hello, mon Cherie," Reaver said, a wry grin on his thin lips, "I am rather against killing things of such beauty. Why don't we call off the whole thing and retire instead, hmm? I do believe a threesome is in order."

Cerberus gave a dry laugh as a sword appeared in thin air, "Oh Reaver, you haven't changed since our time on our island."

"Was I expected to?" Reaver asked not as seductively as I felt a secretive smile grace my own lips. Here was the Reaver I knew would get us out of this.

Cerberus gave another cold laugh and then gave his sword a few test swings, "I guess not. I mean, you ARE Reaver, aren't you? Famed pirate of Albion? The one who will help me destroy this world?"

"What do you mean by that?" Reaver asked slowly, gripping his Dragonstomper even tighter. Cerberus just laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Oh you can put that away. You won't need it nor will it work. Only cold steel works in my court."

Reaver scowled but brought out his sword, giving a few test swings of his own, "Tell me what you meant by destroying this world?"

Cerberus sighed dramatically before stepping into the circle, "Oh my dear Reaver, you must realize I would hate to waste such a lovely body…especially one that has so much potential…my plan was all along to eat you and Miss Sharpp's souls and use your bodies to destroy Albion and make my own perfect utopia."

"It won't be a utopia unless you have someone to rule," I snarled as Cerberus sighed again and brought his blade up.

"I'll have my subjects. Now, either you can go willingly or I will kill you and eat your souls."

Reaver raised his blade and narrowed his eyes, "I am not a fan of either."

Metal clashed against metal as Reaver met Cerberus in the ring as they fought like demons. At one moment, Reaver had Cerberus up against a wall his blade merely seconds away from his throat and the next, Cerberus would be swinging away at the pirate lord, his swings barely missing skin.

Suddenly, something in my pocket seared against my skin as I pulled out the vial of water that Cerberus had given me. Was it my reflection or did I see someone's face in it?

I looked closer only to see a pair of dark brown, warm eyes that made my heart warm to the core flash in the water until they were replaced with Reaver's colder, far fiercer ones. I gasped in surprise and the vial dropped from my fingers, turning over and over in midair until it finally smashed against the floor with a noise that was far louder than a simple glass vial should have produced. Watching the puddle become an oval, I felt my stomach drop to my shoes. There, in the mirror shaped puddle, I saw a woman with ringlets of dark brown in a fancy dress and mask dancing with a tall youth. A man, slightly taller than the youth tapped him on the shoulder and grabbed the woman's waist possessively before dipping her. They engaged in a heated conversation before he kissed her and she kissed him back with so much ferocity, she almost looked like she would eat off his face…like she wanted his very soul for her own.

I watched as the puddle dissipated into droplets of water and looked up to see Reaver standing over Cerberus, his sword at his throat, his gun at his temples, a smirk plastered on his face.

"Were you saying something?" Reaver asked as Cerberus opened his mouth to speak, "Never mind that."

A gunshot echoed through the room and Cerberus's body fell to the floor. Reaver turned around and shot a cocky grin at me, his eyebrow arched slightly.

"Now, that's enough of that…" He began to say but suddenly, the room began to rumble with a force like none other. We both fell to the ground as a wail echoed through the room. However, as sharply as it started, it stopped. I stood up and ran outside to make sure that everyone was alright. The rest of the crew had also fallen but were standing up slowly.

"Come on, we need to go," I called as the men's heads jerked up. There was only one thing that could deter them from the freak earthquake and that was treasure. Even I was excited.

The crew followed me into the temple where Reaver was standing over Cerberus's fallen body.

"As much as I hate to be the greedy person in the room but come on, we have treasure to plunder and pockets to fill," I said as the men hurried down into the underground where even from the men who were just going down were shouting in triumph.

"He went down too soon, without a fight," Reaver mused, touched Cerberus's forehead with the tip of his gun.

"Don't worry about it, he's dead now." I said before Colin came stumbling into the temple. Puzzled, I walked over to him and touched his shoulder. He recoiled in an instant.

"Who is that?!" He demanded as I arched an eyebrow.

"It's Rosie. Can you not sense me?" I asked as pure terror crossed over Colin's face.

"I can't see anything. I'm…completely blind." He admitted, "It's never been like this. Even when I was blind, I could sense the island. At least when we find the fountain, I can regain my sight and rule the island…"

"Colin…I…" I began to say as his head flicked towards me, his sightless eyes flicking around like a snake's tongue, "Cerberus gave me the water but I…"

"What?! You HAD it all this time and didn't give it to me?!" He demanded, stumbling forward slightly, catching his foot on a crack in the floor. He fell forward and gasped as his hands were cut on the broken vial, his jeans already soaking up the water. "You…bitch."

"I'm so sorry, Colin." I murmured before turning and running towards the cavern my men went into, Colin's sobs of anger drowning out my footsteps.

"I curse you! Curse you with the fires of Hell!" He screamed as I ran faster, my gut twisting into knots. As I neared the stairs, I could still hear men yelling in triumph and glee at what they found. I slowly made my way down, marveling at the intricately designed walls that seemed to be made of, yes, treasure.

"Lose your sense of humanity for a moment, my sweet?" Reaver asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. Still feeling a little sore about the whole issue of him sleeping with the other girl, I chose to ignore him.

"Gentlemen, get as much treasure as you can and then let's get out of here," I said as the crew gleefully gathered gold coins, diamonds and other priceless artifacts that lay beneath the ground.

Suddenly, the room shook again and I felt myself drop to one knee as the ground shook beneath us.

Again, it stopped as abruptly as it had started and I could feel something in the air that was…foreboding. There was something in here that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on end.

"Come now, let's continue," Reaver said as the men began to stand back up. Hesitantly, more men went into the darkness and I followed them slowly.

The tunnels, although lined with treasure, were shallow and only one went deeper underground. It was this one I ventured down alone. The walls were still lined with gold and precious jewels but the carvings were different…strange. I saw things in them that resembled cars and buildings that looked so high it seemed almost impossible. My stomach fluttered with excitement. Could this be the well? The fountain that would return me home?

The perfectly carved circular fountain was enlaced with diamonds the size of my fist that sparkled in the light of the flickering torches. My fingers touched the flat part of the well and I glanced down. I could see my reflection on water that was far higher than I expected it to be.

"Hello again, Rosalind." Came a woman's raspy voice as I nearly jumped out of my skin. Standing next to me was a woman who I thought I would never see again.

"Theresa," I said, gripping my chest, "What…how…who…?"

She smiled knowingly, her eyes unseeing, "I can see the questions racing through your head. Maybe you want to know more about this place?"

"Yeah, that would be nice," I admitted as she motioned to the well.

"This well is the source of this island's power lies right here, at this well." She motioned to the gurgling spring and I arched an eyebrow, "Legend tells of an island that Skorm once walked on with a mortal woman. When that woman died, he wept and wept but nothing would bring her back. So instead he built a well on the edge of the world, on an island that would need a protector so that when he found the woman who could live forever with him, he could return with her and baptize her in the well."

"So does that mean that Cerberus was his guardian?" I asked slowly as Theresa nodded.

"Skorm knew that the woman would someday come to the island and that woman was…"

"It was me." I murmured, looking at the walls again, "Is that why Skorm brought people from my world to the island?"

Theresa nodded and then motioned to the fountain. "Yes, but the fountain brought people who seemed like they were going to die or planned on dying and healed them, made them better before coming to the island…made them whole again."

"Does that mean since Cerberus is dead that I can go home?" I asked slowly as Theresa smiled again.

"Again, you come to two separate paths. You can stay here and see what else fate has in store for you. Or, you can go back to your world and return to a world that doesn't understand what you've been through."

Another tremor rocked the cavern and the water began to spill over the diamonds. "What's going on?!"

"Oh yes, I forgot to mention. As soon as Cerberus was killed, the island started collapsing in on itself. You must make this decision now."

* * *

><p><strong>And what shall it be?! Maybe she'll return and perhaps Reaver will be with her...or maybe she'll stay...so many options to be had! <strong>

**Review if you'd be so kind!**


	20. The Showdown of Gods

_"Will you still love me when I'm no longer  
>young and beautiful?<br>Will you still love me when I got nothing  
>but my aching soul?"<em>

* * *

><p>I took a step back in surprise as the water flowed over the diamond studded well, casting rippling shadows across the walls that danced off the gold and precious gems on the floor. I looked down at my feet and saw the water was already soaking the tips of my boots. Glancing back up, I swore angrily, seeing Theresa was gone. Taking a step back, I turned on my heel and raced up the passageway, the water casting rippling shadows on the wall in the torchlight.<p>

When I finally burst into the main cavern, I looked around until my eyes landed on Reaver and my crew. The men were having gold and jewel wars, throwing diamonds at each other while Reaver lounged in a gilded throne, eyes heavily lidded, twirling a bejeweled goblet between thumb and forefinger.

I raced towards the throne and grabbed Reaver's shirt sleeve. His eyebrow instantly shot up and he gave me a look.

"Reaver, we have to get out of here." I said between clenched teeth, "We are all going to die if we don't leave right now."

He brushed my hand away and stood up slowly, towering over me by at least a head, "Why must we leave now, little minx? We've only just…"

But the last few words were unheard as the cavern shook and the rumble of water brought many, including myself, to our knees. I looked back up to see Reaver's eyes alight with a fire that I had never seen before. Suddenly, a great wall of water burst through the passage with the well, sweeping gold, jewels and priceless artifacts out of its way.

"Gentlemen, grab what you can bring and let's go!" I demanded as men struggled against the pull of the water. One nearly fell over but I managed to catch him before he could do so.

Reaver leapt off the gilded throne but was almost swept away by the water, "What did you do, Rosie?!"

"Long story, short answer," I managed to respond as I grabbed a satchel and started shoving it full of jewels and gold. I can come way too far to be turn back now without a single piece of treasure. "We have to go, NOW!"

Reaver jumped up from his chair and gave a quick, short nod. "Listen to me," He yelled over the rush of water, "Grab as much treasure as you can and egress."

The crew didn't need to be told twice. Loading their arms up with gold, silver, precious jewels and whatever else was in the cavern and began sloshing their way towards the stairs that too were draped and laden with precious metals and jewels. As I ran, I scooped up as much as I could but ultimately, under the shaking cavern, they too fell into the rising depths that threatened to engulf the cavern.

"Hurry!" One of the crewmen urged as they raced up the stairs, two by two. Finally, Reaver and I emerged from the depths of the treasure trove, the water just barely licking at the top steps. Glancing over to where I had left Colin, my heart nearly broke when I saw him curled up on the floor, tears streaming from his sightless eyes. He had done nothing to me and yet…I was dooming him to a fate he did not deserve.

"Colin!" I called over the rumble of rocks, tripping over my feet as the earth gave another tremor, "Come on, come with us."

He turned his milky white eyes to where the noise had come from and gave a dark laughter. "Did you really think that he would give up this easily, Rosie?"

I took a step back as my breath got stuck in my throat. "Get out of there. Right now, get out of there, Cerberus."

The boy stood up, his eyes slowly clearing, "Do you know what he felt when he first met you, Rosalind? He felt hope. For the first time in the boy's life, he felt like he could actually escape the hell he had been forced to live in. But you know what you did, Captain Sharpp?" He mocked my name, his ice blue eyes locking on mine, "You shattered everything he ever wanted from life. That's what made him so easy to take as my own. Don't you understand, Rosie? This boy wanted nothing more than to help you and now…you've doomed him to die."

"I never meant to…" I began but then realized that it would be foolish to try and reason with Cerberus. He glanced down at my full satchel and sighed, almost as if I was a child who had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"And stealing my possessions as well? Really, what am I going to do with you?" Before I could react, he had his hand around my throat, his fingers crushing my windpipes. "Perhaps I should just kill you now."

As I watched him, I saw his form change. He became less of a little boy and before my eyes, became a man. His body changed, muscles formed under skin and his face became…harsher. This was not the Colin I knew.

"Let…me…" I grunted, pulling at his fingers in vain.

He threw back his head a laughed darkly, "Oh my little prisoner, you are mine."

"Let the girl go." A cool, clear voice rang through the tumbling temple as Cerberus turned on his heel to see Reaver holding a gun at his head, "By Avo, how many times do I have to kill you today?"

The demon smirked, showing off abnormally large fangs and tightened his grip around my neck. Spots swam in my vision as my kicking grew weaker and weaker, "Quite a few times, Mr. Reaver. Or should I say, Alexander."

Reaver nearly lost his grip on his gun when Cerberus said that, "That man," Reaver said, his voice still calm and collected but icier than it was before, "Died long ago."

Cerberus chortled and instead, wrapped his arm around my neck. My windpipe was freed slightly and I managed to catch another lungful of air before his beefy forearm closed down on my neck. "Apparently not, if you remember him so well."

Reaver tightened his grip around his gun, "Let. The. Girl. Go." Each word seemed to be a demand in itself as Cerberus held me up higher so that my booted feet barely scraped the ground.

"I do believe you may have feelings for her?" He jeered as Reaver's eyes narrowed, "It's been a long, long while since you've actually had FEELINGS for anyone, hasn't it? Not since Abigail…"

A shot rang out, two inches away from Cerberus's head. Barely flinching, he tightened his grip on my neck and arched an eyebrow.

"That was only a warning shot." Reaver snarled as Cerberus chuckled again and looked down at me. Reaching up, he pulled my hair out of its ponytail and began to smooth it down. Curls fluttered down, as he dug his nails in and began to pull.

"I would break her neck before the bullet could reach me, Reaver." He sneered as my eyes met Reaver's. I knew what he was thinking. To his Cerberus was to hit me. Nodding slightly, I realized what he was saying. He wanted to hurt Cerberus but…

My heart gave a flutter. Could it be true? Could Reaver really have feelings for me?! No. Of course not. He was heartless. Then again…so was I…technically. I tried to look as dignified as I could (without my eyes bugging out, of course) as I gave him a slight nod and the shot was fired.

I fell to the ground, my shoulder on fire, mouth open in agony, trying to scream with no vocal chords. With another shot, Colin's sightless face landed next to mine, a river of red flowing from the perfectly shaped hole at his forehead.

"Come on, Rosie." Reaver grunted, hauling me to my feet, grabbing the bag of treasure that had fallen at Colin's feet, "I'm not losing you yet."

I tried to speak but Cerberus's hands had crushed their imprints into my vocal chords. I looked up and saw the rest of the crew standing in awe, the island's pillars crashing down around them.

"Will she be alright, Captain?" A man called as Reaver helped me up and delicately laid the satchel of gold around my undamaged shoulder.

"Of course she will be alright, you bufoons," Reaver said coyly as he wrapped an arm around my waist, "Well, come along! We can't dawdle forever…unless you feel like making the cold ocean your home?"

Murmurs were heard as the crew began walking. Another man came up and wrapped his own arm around my shoulder and him and Reaver carried me out the door, the leaves that I once thought were so pretty already shriveling up and dying. I could hear rocks crashing against one another on their quest towards the ocean and as my fading vision finally began to close around me.

"If you die on me now," Reaver purred in my ear, "I won't be able to bestow the gifts that I plan to lavish you with once we get back to the mainland."

I managed to get out one feeble snort before muttering, "Tempting." With that, my vision finally blacked out and I was left to only wonder how we would get out of this mighty fine predicament.

* * *

><p>I awoke to the familiar creak of boards and the moonlight over my bedside. A lantern swung gently in the lull of the ship, dimmed to the point where I couldn't see anything besides the bedside table next to me. It was covered in swaths of cloth that were covered in dried blood and bandages. Then I remembered everything. With horror, I realized I could not move my left arm.<p>

_"Oh gods above, Hytachi took it off!"_ I thought miserably but then realized that I had been sleeping on it as the pins and needles took effect.

My shoulder still sang each time I tried to sit up but what was worse was the pain in my throat. It felt like I had been in the desert for a month and had no water. I grunted hoarsely until the door opened and a young sailor lad with a mop of russet colored curls burst in through the door. His dark eyes grew wide when he saw me as he turned on his heel and hollered for the doctor. Instantly, Dr. Hytachi burst in through the door and looked down at me with analyzing eyes.

"Where does it hurt, Rosie-San?" He asked softly as, with tears in my eyes, I pointed to my throat, "Ah yes. That will take time, my dear. Until that time," He handed me a small primitive looking notepad, quill and a bottle of ink, "Use this to communicate with me. Now tell me, is there anything you require?"

I picked up the paper and used my right hand (thank God I was as such) to write down something on the paper. The doctor smiled and laughed when he saw it but bowed respectfully.

"And answers you will get, Rosie-San."

The next few hours of the night were filled with the story of how we escaped the island. Of course, in a very Treasure Island sort of way, the whole mass of land began sinking beneath the ocean. Fortunately, one of the men had a photographic memory and could remember the place we had docked the boats. Not a very exciting ending but the climax was rather fascinating. I managed to write down what all had happened between Cerberus, Reaver and I. The men all claimed that they had seen nothing but I knew better.

The name shouldn't have filled me with jealousy but alas, it did, cold fury bubbling up inside my stomach.I mean, I had seen her die. Well, maybe it wasn't exactly her death at that time but still...I had seen her die. She was Reaver's woman...No, she WAS Reaver's woman. Now she was probably just a pile of bones.

It was at least a week of bed rest before Reaver even came to see me. By that time, I could speak but I had to be careful since my voice was still on the mend…as was my arm. However, my confinement to my bed had left me irritable and fierce, ready to duke it out with whoever came into my cabin…which today, it was Reaver.

He strode in like nothing had ever happened between us and sat down behind the desk, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Where have you been?" I asked irritably, taking a sip of water that had been put on the bedside table next to me.

"I don't know what you're talking about, little minx." Reaver said curtly as I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

"Don't play coy with me, Pirate King. You save my life and then you don't come to my bedside for an entire week?"

The man too snorted and leaned forward, pouring himself a glass of brandy, "I've been…busy with foreign affairs."

"Yes, if your foreign affairs include hot nights and exotic women," I retorted hotly as Reaver stood up sharply and moved towards the window.

"I save your life," he began, "And this is how you repay me?"

"Oh please," I sighed dramatically, "The great pirate lord, afraid to come into the chambers of a lady because it's against his honor. Cut the shit, Reaver. I know that you've been out in the world since I woke up, sleeping around with any creature that throws you a sultry glance and has a hole."

Reaver took a long sip from his glass and pondered what I had said, still looking out the window, "Oh dear. It seems someone is a little jealous?"

"Jealous? Ha! You've got to be kidding me." I tried to play the whole thing off like a joke but inside, my stomach was turning, a bed of snakes.

He sat down on the corner of the bed and cast me a dangerously seductive look through eyelashes long and dark enough to make someone wonder if Reaver didn't have a stash of mascara hidden somewhere. Wouldn't have surprised me.

"Oh my dear girl, why don't you just tell me? I already know."

I felt all color drain from my face, "I don't know what you're talking about."

He laughed softly and drained the rest of his drink, "You don't have to play coy with me, my dear."

I smirked and arched an eyebrow, still trying to play it cool, "I have nothing I need to tell you besides the fact that if you've spent any of my treasure, I will cut off your testicles and use them for paperweights."

"Promises, promises," He chided as he stood and walked over to the window and looked out. Silence settled on the cabin as he lit up his pipe and looked out onto the glassy sea, "Actually, we haven't made port since we left the island. I couldn't spend your treasure even if I wanted to."

I glanced down at my knees, still covered in bedsheets and then looked back at Reaver, "How much did we bring out of the cave?"

He turned back to me before grabbing a chair and scooting it over to sit next to me, "It was a fair amount. Perhaps enough to get out once the Golden Age of Piracy is over."

I whipped my head towards him, my stomach clenching suddenly, "What do you mean, Golden Age of Piracy is over?"

Chortling, he reached behind him and picked up a bottle of wine that had been sitting on my tabletop. Popping it open, he poured two glasses and handed me one, "Whether or not you or I admit, the number of pirates in this world are dwindling, my dear Rosie. Sooner or later, we will have to embrace the world that we now live in or go down with the ship."

I was quiet for a few more moments before glancing back up, looking at Reaver. So much time had passed between us...so much pain and fighting and laughter and (in my case, I wasn't quite sure about his) love. Yes, I would admit it to myself, definitely not to him, I was in love with the pirate lord Reaver. The one who womanized so many for reasons that so few knew...Who killed just in spite of killing. I never thought I could ever fall for someone like that but I did. The thought still chilled me to the bone.

"Reaver," I said suddenly, turning towards him, "I just realized I know nothing of your affiliations with Queen Sparrow. I've heard in taverns and in houses of ill despute that you once traveled with her. I've been meaning to ask but it keeps slipping my mind to do so."

He turned to me with a wicked glint in his eye and took a drag off his pipe, "I hardly believe that you were in a brothel. But, good try my little minx." The cherry scented smoke escaped his nostrils as I blushed and tucked my knees underneath me.

"I was dropping off some things with a friend of mine before I met you. He was the master of the House of Victory in Blackwell. He said you knew it quite well." I smirked and took a sip of water as Reaver looked at me in surprise.

"How in the world did you fall into the company of someone who owns a brothel?" He asked slowly as I looked up to the left, a wry, innocent smile upon my lips.

"He was the friend of the gambler who's life I helped save."

"Well, well, well, it seems as if my dear sweet little Rosie has some sea stories of her own." Reaver chuckled and then signed, "I guess I can tell you about how I met Queen Sparrow then."

"I'd be glad to hear it," I responded as he leaned forward with all the poise and perfection of a storyteller.

"Well, it was back about...oh Avo...it had to be at least 40 years ago when Lucien still held Albion in a firm grip." he began. I had read books about Lucien and about the power that he had tried to obtain. However, I wanted to hear Reaver's side of the story instead. "Sparrow...oh, my apologies, QUEEN Sparrow, was looking for some way to stop him. I think he murdered her sister when she was younger but alas, she never really told me. We were never as close as we could have been. Anyway, Sparrow went looking for 3 heroes: The Hero of Strength, the Hero of Will and the Hero of Skill. I just so happened to be the Hero of Skill. When she came for me, I sent her on a little...shall we call it, errand into Wraithmarsh to trade her youth in for mine. While she was there, she met a young woman who she ended up sacrificing to the Shadow Court, poor thing. Of course, I didn't hear about that until after she and I parted ways but I believe in letting bygones be bygones." Taking another drag from his pipe, he continued his story, "Of course, before she returned, I managed to contact Lucien and tell him of her whereabouts and he claimed he was sending something to pick her up. Needless to say that before I could double cross her, he had double crossed me and...surprise, before we knew it, we were at each other's backs, fighting off Lucien's men to keep them at bay!"

"Continue," I urged as he arched an eyebrow and threw his legs up on the bed.

"So eager, my little minx. Good things come to those who wait," Clearing his throat, he continued, "After Sparrow and I escaped my home, I informed her and her little entourage that I would not be joining them on their quest and instead would sail off into the sunset, maybe with a lass on my lap. However, before I could even take a step towards my ship, The Reaver, a Shard of the Spire, the transport of Lucien's men, attacked us and destroyed my ship. It was only after this was I forced to return with Sparrow and her gang to defeat Lucien. Of course, by the time we had given her all our power, the three Heroes were left weak and that's when Lucien attacked us and shot Sparrow."

"But Sparrow survived, didn't she? I mean, of course she did." I responded, clearing my throat, "Sorry, I'll shut up now."

"If you want to hear the rest of this story, I suggest you silence yourself." He chided good naturedly as he spoke again, "I'm not sure how Sparrow survived but she did. Of course, I was the one to kill Lucien after she insisted on listening to him ramble on about Avo only knows what. I don't even remember. Anyway, after this, she received a wish from the Spire, the place we were being held. Personally, I would have chosen wealth but she was just such a noble hero...so, of course she had to choose sacrifice. Even did it at the cost of her own husband."

"That's so sad," I murmured softly, rubbing my blanket between my thumb and forefinger absentmindedly, "Sacrificing your own happiness for the happiness of others. Now I can see why she became Queen of Albion. But," I began, realizing something, "If the queen lost her husband, how does she have children? I know she has at least two sons."

"Well, the first child, Logan, was from her first marriage, her late husband but the other one...nobody's quite sure where he came from," Reaver smirked before taking a drag off his pipe again. I was quiet for a moment before flicking my eyes back to him, narrowed and accusing.

"You aren't the other's child's father, are you?"

Reaver scoffed and rolled his eyes, "A very unlikely plot but I like the way you think. No, the Queen wanted nothing to do with me and my lifestyle after I left for Samarkand. Of course, that didn't stop us from crossing paths on a few occasions. You actually landed in Albion only a year after she became queen."

"I see," I began, looking out the window again, "Well, thank you for sharing that with me, Reaver. It really does mean quite a bit to me to hear that coming from you."

He stood up before snuffing out his pipe and turning towards the door, "I quite enjoyed this little talk. I hope you feel better soon. I miss our...activities together."

I blushed as he chuckled once again and in a cloud of cherry scented tobacco smoke, dissapeared.

* * *

><p><em>Hey, guess what?! I'm not dead! Surprised yet? This chapter was pretty terrible to write and honestly? I think it needs to jump out the window and die. Happy two year anniversary to this story! It's going to be one I finish, I SWEAR. I've been super busy with Mass Effect and writing an original fic that I'm going to put on Fictionpress whenever I get around to it. Let me tell you, it's been almost a year since I've played any of the Fable games and so I'm pretty sure Reaver is getting out of character...FAST. Next chapter he'll be back around, I promise. (Also, I was about 2,000 words into this chapter in March and then my computer decided it would eat what I had written as a snack...Oh well...)<br>_

_Other than that, I just think all of you should know, I had to go back and rewrite almost this entire chapter because I totally forgot Reaver had already explained his story to Rosie. XD Hopefully, this chapter and filler will be as entertaining as the other would have been. I would hate to contradict myself. _

_Again, I apologize for any mis spellings you may have stumbled across. This computer doesn't have auto correct. _

_I want to thank all my ultimate reviewers who left me awesome reviews and those who left reviews in general. You guys are seriously what makes my world go 'round and why this story still exists...Thank you to you all. _

_As you know, there are some things I must explain. Obviously I don't own Reaver...although that would be cool as fuck. I, however, own Rosie and that in itself is pretty fantastic. _


	21. Hitting and Missing

**Ha! I am back! I have no died, just been lacking any motivation to write. It's been terrible and for that, I apologize. I also apologize to a reviewer who felt like I was pulling the whole "Treasure Island" thing out of my ass. I promise you, there will be more tying into that in the future. Although that was a little half-assed on my part. I really just wanted this part of the story to end...**

**Which, in a way, I am happy to present this milestone. The longest story I've written so far...and it's not over yet, kiddos! Actually, the party's just getting started! It's been a long, sometimes frustrating haul but I am proud to present you with Better Off Reaver. I am actually working on some rewrites of the original several chapters so keep your panties on. Also, the second half which I'm also in the process of writing. **

**Anyway, and I've already decided that this WILL have a sequel, which is in the works as we speak. **

**Until next time, my lovelies, **  
><strong>Queenie<strong>

* * *

><p><em>I came in like a wrecking ball, <em>  
><em>I never hit so hard in love, <em>  
><em>All I wanted was to break your walls, <em>  
><em>All you ever did was, <em>  
><em>Wreck me. <em>

* * *

><p>Several days passed and as they did so, I found myself getting stronger and stronger again. The bullet wound was not infected and so I could freely walk around the cabin...which was filthy, surprising for Reaver. One morning, I woke with restlessness so fierce, I walked over to the giant bookshelf across from my bed and literally began throwing books left and right, random pages flying everywhere. Next went maps off the wall and clothes from my dresser until I was left with a rather giant mess of chaos that had no rhyme or reason.<p>

Grinning, I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and began to rearrange everything. Maps went on the opposite wall, curtains were beat for dust, I remade my sprawling bed, clothing was refolded into neat piles, my desk was dusted and the curtains were pulled back to reveal a bright blue ocean that stretched out for miles. Clouds drifted lazily across a cerulean sky that shimmered like a sapphire. It was a perfect day.

I turned back to the books I had piled on the floor and slowly, began to put them away, eyeing each one as I slipped it back into its home. One dark colored book with no title on the front caught my eye as flipped it over, eyeing it with suspicion. I had never seen this one before and so, with a flick of my wrist, I opened it, surprised to find something written inside of it and to my surprise, I saw it was in Reaver's handwriting! Arching an eyebrow, I leaned against the bookcase, taking care of my shoulder and began to read.

_"I found a rather interesting spoil in the ocean this afternoon while returning home from the East. She calls herself Rosie and I found her in the most deliciously scandalous outfit. She seems confused on where she's at, coming from a place called Maine. I do not believe there is such a place that exists in Albion so it leaves me to wonder. I invited her to my bed but she refused. Quite a pity. In other news, the crew is getting antsy with a female onboard. Not that any of them really believe in the old superstitions but one can never be too careful. I will reign in this so called mermaid from another world and possess her by any means necessary." _

Frowning, I flipped through more pages, my finger landing on one that caught my interest. Most were about his current escapades but this…this one had a picture of a lady, slender and beautiful, standing at the window, looking over the port of a city. I could tell the picture was far more recent because of the darker ink instead of the faded writing like the script next to it.

_"I managed to get Rosie into my quarters last night and it was, in truth, not as exciting a prize as I once believed her to be. She was…to say the least, one of the quietest women I have ever bedded. Of course, she believed it to be for a noble cause to save the sailor whose wife I had promised to kill. It really is a pity of course. I could just kill her with one bullet to her brain but I was visited by Theresa, the blind seer once again. Why do I deserve to be tormented by this woman so?! She made me promise to not kill the girl but keep her close to my side…whatever that means. Of course…keeping promises isn't quite my forte." _

I chuckled and then flipped a page, reading, in great detail, the ball that followed his glorious return and the people he had slept with. Underneath, was a hastily written entry that even I was surprised by.

_"I have underestimated my mermaid. When I took her to the Shadow Court this morning, she managed to not only trade her soul in for immortality but take the souls of each member of my crew. I attempted to shoot her but my gun failed me and she escaped. Good riddance to a nuisance, in my humble opinion. I have a bad feeling this will come back to haunt me though…" _

I sighed and flipped through quite a few entries until I ended up halfway through the book, landing on a picture of a woman, sitting at a desk, her gun pointed at the artist, a half curved grin on her face.

_ "I found her again last night. It's been 30 years and now my little mermaid has walked back into my life, just as I expected. I was actually surprised that she and her crew managed to put up a fight. However, she was not as immune to my charms as she probably had been led to believe. She demanded me to get off her ship…until I whetted her appetite with the stories of The Island and the gems that may be able to bring her home. Perhaps I shall tell her the dangers of what it brings but I probably shouldn't scare off my new business partner." _

_ "I also plan to make a wager with the quote, "Mistress of the Sea Sharpp" that if she falls to her knees and begs me to take her more than once, I can take all the treasure that we have allotted. However, if she stays strong, she may take all the treasure. If she only falls once, we may split the treasure, 50-50. She is bound to lose this bet but in truth, I cannot blame her." _

I continued to read, my feet curling up underneath me as I drank in every word. This story told of his history with Count Ivan's wife, Zephyr in full detail. It was almost like a fairy tale, Reaver swooping in after Zephyr's terrible, almost abusive relationship with the count with promises to take her away and evenings filled with wine and sweet nothings once they had both been spent. However, even reading this made my blood boil as I began to see hints of myself again.

_"I promised Rosie to the Count. She will make a fine item in his collection and I can return to Albion with another three ships in my fleet and I can find some foolish whore to help me collect the treasure. Of course, with her luck, she'll probably find some way to escape. She's good at escaping at seemingly impossible situations. However, if she does manage to escape, it will save me a trip back to Albion and I will still have the money the Count paid me to obtain her. This may put a strain in our relationship but I am willing to risk it. Zephyr was a fantastic lover once but now…now I can see wrinkles on her face and hands and it disgusts me." _

I narrowed my eyes but kept reading. This entry was from a few days later.

_"Of course Rosie managed to escape Athenia. How could I have ever expected anything less?! I admire her for her perseverance but curse her name to the deepest pits of whatever Hell she believes in for returning. If I knew I had a permanent guest around that I couldn't shoot I would have shot her when she first crawled onto my deck like a fish out of water."_

_I nearly had her back in bed tonight. Nearly. She seemed more than willing as we kissed…the first time kissing her in a long while. She fell prey to morals at the last moment. Damn, she may be able to resist me after all…" _

This continued on for a few more lines and went onto the next page as I flipped through the embarrassing details of the next morning where I had finally given into the monsters that had been threatening to consume me for so long.

"_Rosie never ceases to amaze me. She told me her life's story, a drink or two loosening up her tongue quite nicely after we danced. She believes me to be a benevolent creature and I do believe that she is falling in love with me. Such foolish beliefs will kill a person…perhaps I've been too kind with my bird…perhaps it is time to clip her wings…" _

"_A storm rolled in over the ocean last night and Rosie was knocked overboard. Perhaps she is not fooling anyone else but perhaps me since I jumped into the ocean to save her. She was, fortunately, unharmed and she will survive. We spoke more of the island and what we will find when we are there. Even I am not quite sure I am ready to find this treasure. What if she does choose to go home? What if I lose my adversary…my plaything? I do not know if I can truly let her go." _

Turning the pages, I kept reading my eyes drinking in each entry until I had gotten to the last bit of our island adventure.

"_I called her name today. It wasn't on purpose but it…slipped through my lips like a secret. The woman who had been in such ecstasy didn't even notice…nor did I notice Rosie until she put a sword through her chest. Why was I almost thankful for the interruption? I may have threatened to shoot her but my heart wasn't in it. What is this woman doing to me?! She chose not to leave but perhaps that was because the island collapsed on itself as I stated previously. In truth, I am pleased, perhaps ecstatic in the fact that she is still in Albion and still with me." _

I wasn't even breathing as I flipped to the last page…one with a date of the day previous.

"_I think I'm in love with her." _

My head spun as I leaned against the bookcase and pressed the last page against my breast. He loved me as I loved him. He didn't show it quite as I would have liked…hell, he hardly showed any emotion except for lust and loathing, which he seemed to exhume a lot of when I was around.

With heart hammering, I placed the book back and slipped it back on the shelf and then hurried back over to bed, wondering if the journal had been placed on the shelf for me to find it. No, that was impossible. Reaver would never make such a mistake, would he?

The door opened up and the man himself strolled into the cabin, his boots stopping right at the threshold, looking around the cabin, a wry smirk on his face.

"My, if I knew you wanted to clean, I would have put you to work down in the kitchens." He said as I gave him my own smile, my heart still thumping in my chest, "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you. I feel like I could go and take on the world…probably why I cleaned your cabin. I hope wherever you slept was rather pleasant."

He arched an eyebrow and strolled over to me, looking me straight in the eye, "Why Rosie, I didn't think you cared."

I scoffed and took a step back, "I don't. I was just wondering. I was actually just about to change and go out on the deck." I walked over to a trunk of my belongings and pulled out a dark blue dress, "I got this dress on my last trip to Albion and I haven't worn it yet. Perhaps today, I'll look like a lady."

Reaver perked up at the idea of helping me get unchanged with snide little comments about how I didn't need the dress as it would probably be ripped to shreds later that night, what with my returning strength. Finally, I managed to get him out of the cabin and changed. The dress was long and had sleeves that fell to my shoulders, nothing special but I felt more like a lady than I had in a long while. I left my hair down due to the fact that it had started forming ringlets instead of the frizz that had been on my head for so long. Topped off with a pair of earrings, I felt like a real lady.

Someone knocked on the door as I turned around and bade whoever was there to come in. It was a midshipman who took one look at my getup and turned his eyes away, a blush on his cheeks, "Excuse me, Captain Sharpp."

I turned to face him, "No need to be sheepish. I'm sure this isn't your first time seeing a lady in a dress."

"No, Ma'am. Just surprised to see you in one, that's all."

"Understandable. Now, what can I do for you?"

He turned his eyes to meet mine, "Captain Reaver wishes to speak to you on the aft deck as soon as possible."

"I will indeed be going out there as soon as I am done in here," I promised him as I strolled over to the door, my boots still clunking against the floorboards since I had no proper shoes.

As soon as I stepped out the door of the cabin, I knew that wearing the dress had been a terrible mistake. All eyes were on me as I smiled and waved slightly at my crewmembers. Hats came off in shock as I walked towards the aft deck. When they saw it was Reaver awaiting me, they quickly turned to and continued along with their duties.

"Ah, you almost look like a real lady," Reaver chuckled as I joined him at the railing, overlooking the ocean.

"Almost," I chided as I pulled out my pipe from the folds of my dress and filled it up with tobacco. "Do you have a light?"

"Of course," he pulled out a match and quickly lit up my pipe. With the same match, he did the same with his own as we looked out over the jeweled waves. A long silence followed until Reaver started speaking again, "I wanted to ask you about what happened on the island. What did you see that kept you here?"

I hesitated. Who wouldn't have hesitated at a question like that? Not after everything that had been said to me by Theresa and Cerberus himself. Finally, I took a deep breath and began to speak, "Theresa was there. It wasn't a jewel that would have taken me home but a well. That's where all the water came from. Theresa told me that the island existed because of Skorm and the woman he once loved. He believed that the woman would come from my world and the portal was designed to bring people who hurt to the island. That's how I came through. I…" I took a deep breath through my nose and slowly let it out through my mouth, "I was that girl. When we disturbed the treasure…the island began to sink on itself. That's as much as I know, honestly Reaver."

He was quiet for a moment before glancing over at me, his eyes as green as the sea itself. "Why didn't you stay with those from your own world? Why didn't you choose to go back?" He asked softly as my heart stopped. What could I tell him?! That my time in this world hadn't quite come to an end? That I was in love with him? That I hadn't made up my mind in time?

"Because the fountain began to flood before I could make a decision." I said finally, taking another drag off my pipe, "I wonder what happened to the people on the island?"

"Why should we care? They're gone, we're not." Reaver said simply as I turned to him sharply, as if he had just slapped me.

"They're still people, Reaver, regardless how you feel about them. They had families that probably loved them. I know Colin didn't but he chose his fate…"

"And what about you, Rosie? Did you have a family waiting for you?" Reaver snapped, suddenly irritated, "You could have gone to be with them but instead, you stayed here. I find it hard to believe that you couldn't make up your mind in time. I know you were searching for a way to get back to them."

"Maybe I don't want to go back!" I yelled, louder that I had intentionally intended to, "Maybe I don't want to go back to being a pathetic, sniveling gym attendant who always ended up being second to the prettier, smarter, more charismatic girl! Here, I AM a queen! I am eternally young! Why would anyone give that up to go back to being normal?"

Reaver blew a puff of smoke from his nostrils like a dragon, "I don't know. I thought maybe it was a certain someone who might have kept you here but apparently, I was wrong." With that, he turned on his heel and walked down the stairs and towards his cabin. My head hurt as well as my heart. I didn't want to tell him but now, I wasn't so sure. Should I put my heart on the line and fear never hearing it from his lips? No.

I squared my shoulders and held my head high. No. I was Captain Rosie Sharpp, Pirate Queen. I did not bow to the will of men so easily. I would show him how I felt.

* * *

><p>"Come in," Reaver's voice was muffled by the door as I opened the door and looked over at the bed. He didn't have the company of one of the men, which I was rather surprised about. He glanced up, "I didn't expect to see you again so soon, my thorn."<p>

I shrugged and rubbed my arm, awkwardly, "I didn't mean to upset you earlier today." I mumbled as he sat up and arched an eyebrow.

"You did nothing of the sort. I just had some other business to attend to. You had nothing to do with it," he responded nonchalantly.

"Sorry, my mistake then," The words came out harsher than I had originally intended as he glanced over at me and sighed in irritation.

"What do you want? And hurry up before I shoot you, you silly girl." He said coldly as I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, pretending that this was going just the way I had wanted it to.

"I just…" I exhaled and opened my eyes, looking over at him, "I can't help but keep thinking about how you looked when I saw that girl on top of you…such…vulnerability. I never see you like that, especially with me. Why did she bring down walls when I can't?"

And why the hell wasn't this conversation going the way I thought it was going to go?! I wanted him on his knees, begging me for my love, not me twiddling my thumbs like some schoolgirl with crush!

"Perhaps you just never tried hard enough." He responded coolly as I nodded slowly.

"I've tried, Reaver. I've tried so hard to bring down those walls. I don't understand why a complete STRANGER can bring you to your knees when I can barely get you to look me in the eye. Why, Reaver? Were you hurt that badly that you can never let anyone else in your life?! I want you to let me in! God dammit, you've destroyed me and I don't understand why you can't see that!" Tears dripped down my face as I spoke, "Why can't you see that all I wanted was to allow me in?! I wanted you and I don't understand how you did this to me! I'm a wreck and I think we both know it. I love you!" I looked down at the ground, my fists clenched in tight balls as I heard the bed squeak and felt a knuckle slid my chin up as Reaver slid a finger across my cheeks, wiping away the tears.

"I know," he said softly as he reached down and brushed his lips against mine. He pulled me into a kiss, fusing his fist into my hair as I moaned, my heart thudding through my dress. My fingers clung to his shirt and my body shook with unshed sobs. Finally, he pulled away and touched his forehead against mine as I continued to cry.

"Do you love me?" I asked, barely audible as he stiffened at the question. He clung to me a bit tighter as he answered, my heart nearly bursting as he whispered a one syllable answer.

"No."

He let me go as I took a step back, nodding slowly, "I'm sorry you have bothered you." I murmured softly as my head sang with defeat.

I turned and ran from the cabin as Reaver called for me to return but it was too late. The damage had been done. There was no going back. As I wept, I crossed the plank connecting his ship to one of my others, The Thorn. As I crossed the platform, I looked down at the water, so far below. If I threw myself into the welcoming arms of a watery grave, would I go home? Of course I wouldn't. I was never that lucky.

I raced into my cabin, my chest heaving as I raced over to my gun cabinet and opened it, taking out my favorite arm, a small pistol that had always proved to be a good friend to me. As I sobbed, I shoved the barrel of the gun as far into my mouth as it possibly would go, my finger hovering over the trigger.

I don't know how long I waited there, tears rushing down my cheeks as I nearly took my own life. Finally, I put down the gun and paced the cabin as the night continued on until my plan came to light. My time in Albion wasn't over. Why should I subject myself to his abuse when I was still a queen? Why couldn't I put myself in better company? I narrowed my eyes before deciding what I would do.

I raced down to the crew's quarters, waking each individually. We would leave Reaver behind in the dead of night. I would leave my heartache behind me in the ocean as I transformed into someone else that would be a stronger woman than Rosie would ever be. She would be molded like a changing land, as flexible as a river but as strong as a rock.

As we casted off from The Reaver II, I felt something like a weight that had held me down since coming to this world be cast off and fall to the bottom of the ocean where it belonged.

Perhaps where I belonged as well.

As the sun touched the horizon and Reaver's ship faded onto the curve of the ocean, I smiled. A genuine smile that made me want to dance. How could I have ever expected him to truly love me? He didn't know how to love. That's how he filled himself with the booze, women, men and the sea. Why did I expect anything differently? I couldn't have expected so I would never again have an expectations of the Pirate Lord. Through this realization, I would slowly begin to heal as the winter ended and summer bloomed again.

"Lady Sharpp," my first mate called as I looked back at him, his eyes glowing in the sun, "Where are we headed to?"

"We are heading back to Albion to become civilized human beings. The Great Pirate King said the golden age of piracy is ending. It is time to conform to the times." He nodded and went to turn until I held up a hand, "One more thing."

He nodded and stepped forward, ready to do my bidding. I turned my face back to the rising sun and closed my eyes, relishing the sunrise that began the rest of my life. Finally, I turned back to him and knew that I had changed. There would be no more Rosie, no more treasure, no more sword fights. No, the Pirate Queen was gone.

"Call me Alice."

* * *

><p><strong>Oh god. Cheese CITY! I am so glad I finally got this out of the way. It's been a daunting task me forever. I hope that you all enjoyed this first half of Better Off Reaver. Now, onto part two! Stay tuned!<strong>

**Queenie**


	22. A Better Albion

-To all those joining me once again, welcome. This is the beginning of the second part of Better Off Reaver, titled The Looking Glass. Of course, this will just add onto the story, making it THE LONGEST THING I'VE WRITTEN TO DATE! *Dances like a loon*  
>Thanks to everyone who's reviewed. You guys are the reason this story is as long and fantastic as it is.<br>Now, sit back, relax and enjoy this...whatever you want to call it. Second half, sequel, your choice, folks.

Until we meet again,  
>Queenie<p>

* * *

><p><strong>"The Looking Glass"<strong>

**_"One has to pay dearly for immortality; one has to die several times while one is still alive."_**  
><strong><em>Friedrich Nietzsche <em>**

* * *

><p><em>-Albion, 10 years later-<em>

* * *

><p>The sky was cold and angry on the day that the Queen of Albion passed away. She was too young, many people said, to have passed away. However, the weight of the world held her shoulders down and perhaps, this, in the long run was the very reason that Sparrow had passed away.<p>

Thousands gathered to watch her casket of glass sway silently behind loping horses, their own heads lowered as if they too were respecting their fallen queen. Her beauty could be seen plainly behind the thick glass. She still had her pale blonde hair and her white skin, etched with the will marks of a hero, seemed to glow, still pulsing with life. Her body was strong and even in her old age, supple and firm unlike many women that were in their twilight years.

Her husband had died first. Maybe this was the downfall of the Merciful Lady…or so people called her. Well, her second son's husband had died. Nobody was quite sure whether or not her heir, a sallow faced teenager named Logan, was a bastard child, a son she had kept quiet about until she took the throne.

In the crowd, a woman watched as the horses passed, her head bowed low in respect for the queen. She was dressed in richer fair than most in attendance with a fitted red gown that curled up her neck and down her arms with black lace and trimmings. With that she wore a dark red hat tipped low over her brow so one would only see her dark red stained lips. However, if she tilted her head just right, the viewer would catch sight of a pair of dark hazel eyes, watching the procession sadly.

However, most eyes were turned to the queen's casket until it had turned one final corner and disappeared onto the castle grounds. Now, all eyes had turned to the new King of Albion…except for the woman's eyes. She instead turned her eyes to the handsome man at the king's right hand side. He wore a jacket of white…as if he was innocent, no less…trimmed with black and a top hat that tilted jauntily to the right. He also carried a cane and wore a smirk of triumph, as if it was he who had been crowned the king.

The woman flicked her eyes towards the man's left. Standing there was a great behemoth of a man, head of the queen's guard named Walter Beck. Standing very close to him was the queen's other son, Prince Adrian, obviously trying not to cry. The woman tilted her head and watched his fists clench and unclench, as if he was trying to curve his fury at whatever god had done this.

"Valued citizens," The reedy voice of the new king spoke over the crowd as they looked up at him sadly. "I understand that this is a time of sadness and despair but fear not. As your new king, I promise you that I will never allow harm to come to you from an outside source. I believe my mother promised the same thing and I will continue to honor her and her traditions." He sighed and looked down at his shoes, "We may all grieve for the queen in our own ways tonight."

The woman stood steadfast, rooted to the spot as the man in white caught her eyes with his own. They had changed; those eyes but they were still his eyes. The eyes she that had haunted her even when she became the woman she was now, not the lovesick puppy that wept in her cabin for a love that was impossible and toxic. He was a drug. She was…she was no cure. If anything, she had fermented into her own version of poison as well.

"Rosie?" he mouthed as the woman in red slowly shook her head and then turned on her heel, walking into the crowd. Her pendant burned against her skin, signaling her that it was time to make her yearly trip to Wraithmarsh. Clutching it in her hand, she looked down at it, wishing that it wasn't so. Unfortunately, the dead don't wait to claim their next victim and so she turned her head down and hurried back to the tailor's shop in Bowerstone's market district.

Opening the door, she heard the chatter of the girls who worked underneath her and what she heard didn't impress her one little bit.

"…Work for a witch, I swear to Avo…" One of her girls, Martha with a ridiculous amount of curly blonde hair was babbling to a coworker who really wasn't listening to what her friend had to say, "The woman hasn't aged a day and she expects us to believe that she has a bakery in Bloodstone…it's just a coverup. I think that she and Mr. Reaver were once in cahoots and whatever he does, she does it to…Like I said, a witch."

"Martha, I pay you to work, not to run your mouth all day long," The woman in red said sharply as Martha jumped, as if she had been stabbed by a needle.

"Yes Ma'am, I'm sorry Ma'am!" Martha gasped as she realized who was standing behind her, "I never meant…"

"Quite alright," The woman said coolly, observing the work going on around her. She herself only knew how to sew a little but there were more than enough willing workers who knew how to sew in Industrial, "However, there are hundreds of starving women working for Mr. Reaver who would be happy to take your place instead."

Martha blushed as her friend tittered nervously as Martha began to stitch at a hem feverishly, "I'm sorry Ma'am. My mouth tends to get ahead of me."

"Of course," The woman said absentmindledly as she looked around the shop, still thinking about Martha's comments, "Actually Martha, speaking of my bakery in Bloodstone, you don't have any friends or family you're helping out with the income you're making from this shop, are you?"

"No Ma'am, it's just me."

"Come now, you can be honest with me. This is a promotion. I'd hate to pry you away from your family if you're providing for them!"

"No, it's only just been me until you took me in, Ma'am."

The woman clapped her hands, smiling, "Excellent! I am looking for someone with your particular…talents to take over the head of my bakery and I think you'll do splendidly. I'll have my carriage saddled up and ready to go as soon as possible!"

Martha's eyes went wide as she searched for anything that would betray her employer's real feelings. There was no hostility to be seen which surprised and frightened the young woman as the woman in red turned on her heel and left the tailor's shop.

"I've heard bad things about her bakery," Martha murmured out of the side of her mouth as Rachel, a dark haired young woman nodded and then went back to her work as if nothing had happened. Martha shivered and went back to her work, hands shaking as she continued to stitch up the hem. Finally, the woman in red came back into the shop and smiled at her employees.

"Ladies, I must be off now but I'm sure that you should all wish Miss Martha congratulations on her new position." She looked 'round the shop, eyeing each young face as if they should disagree with her, "Come along now, we must be off."

"Yes Ma'am." Martha said miserably as they walked out of the shop and around the corner to see a sleek black carriage with a meticulous sheen and four matching horses, an older gentleman sitting on top of the coach, a hat tipped low over his face. The lady put her hat back on her head and then opened the door for Martha who stepped up into the carriage, still shaking slightly. She took a seat on the dark red seat and if she hadn't been as nervous, would have admired the plush interior, nicer than anything she had ever seen before.

The lady in red took a seat across from her, taking off her hat, smiling at her employee. Martha had never really looked at the lady straight in the eye. She would have been just another person you passed on the street except she seemed to have an aura of someone three times her age. She had curls of dark brown, sleek and shiny that hung just right with dark hazel eyes and of course, the red lips that she always wore. It was almost impossible to place her age perfectly but if Martha had to guess she was probably somewhere in her mid-20's. Nobody ever asked the lady her age.

"Ah, here we are. Do you mind if I smoke?" She asked, pulling a pipe out of the pleats of her dress as the carriage bounced forward. Lighting the sweet smelling tobacco, she exhaled, the smoke escaping her perfect lips. "Anyway, the journey will take several hours. Of course, the company couldn't be better, if I do say so myself."

"What do you want with me?" Martha asked suddenly as the lady stopped, her pipe freezing in midair.

"What do you want with me, _MA'AM?_" She corrected politely as she took another drag off her pipe, "And I already told you. I need someone with your maturity to take over the head supervisor at my bakery."

"What about all my things?" Martha asked as the lady waved a dismissive hand and rolled her eyes.

"You will be provided with the best living quarters possible there, with your own home and whatnot. It's completely furnished, of course."

"Of course," Martha repeated, "But I had my mother's things too. I can't…let those go."

"I'll make sure they are sent off to you as soon as possible. Now, I know you're tired so I invite you to rest until we get there. Will you do that for me, Martha?"

The blond nodded slowly and with a faux yawn, pretended to fall asleep, very aware of the jostling of the carriage and the sickly sweet scent of the lady's smoke.

* * *

><p>The next thing Martha was aware of, the carriage had been jerked to a stop as the lady pounded her hand against the roof of the carriage.<p>

"Stop!" She snapped as she looked over at Martha, her smile gone, "You have some drool on the side of your cheek, dear."

Martha rubbed the placed her employer had indicated before sleepily looking around. It was dark and foggy outside the carriage and it made Martha extremely nervous, "W-where are we?"

The lady glanced over at her before peering out the window, "We are at the home of some of my friends. They need to meet you before they make a decision whether or not you're right to work at the bakery. I apologize for the secrecy but they are the true head of my operations and they asked for me to bring you along."

"O-okay," Martha said timidly as the door opened and the little man with the moustache stood, waiting to help them get out. The lady got out first, taking the man's hand as she stepped down.

"Thank you, Oliver."

"My pleasure, Alice."

That was her name then? Alice? Nobody at the shop dared call the lady by her first name and most…including Martha didn't even know her employer's first name…Now she did and it made her nervous. She couldn't quite put her finger on why though. Why did her coachman have the privilege of calling her by her first name?

"Come with me, Martha." She snapped the smaller woman out of her stupor as she looked down to see that Alice offered her a long, ghostly pale hand to her companion, "It gets rather dangerous in the marsh after midnight."

"We're in…the marsh?! You mean Wraithmarsh?" She asked, obviously frightened. Alice smiled and then took off a necklace that she had worn for as long as anybody could remember. Martha shivered again as Alice led her up a path to a small door in the mountainside. Placing the hand that had the necklace on the door, she murmured something under her breath and a deep rumbling was heard from deep within the rock that Martha could feel deep within her bones. Slowly, the door opened and Alice pushed past them into the darkness.

"Come, don't be scared." She said softly as she let go of Martha's hand and then dropped something cool into her hands, "Take my necklace. It will keep you safe."

"Thank you, Ma'am." Martha murmured, tucking the necklace into her pocket as she took Alice's hand again.

"Oh, and if you're going to be the new head my bakery, I must insist you call me Alice."

_'Just like the coachman.'_ Martha thought to herself as a draft of cold air caused goose bumps to rise on her arms.

"Come now, we don't have long," Alice said, tugging her through the door to parts unknown, down a path of winding stairs.

"Why do your friends live here?" Martha asked as Alice glanced back at her.

"Because they are a secretive bunch. I trust them with my lives and they've helped me for years get to where I am today." Alice responded as they moved deeper into the cavern…which wasn't quite a cavern but an old, dilapidated hall, eroded by time and water.

"The hamlet of Oakvale used to be here, didn't it?" Martha asked as Alice nodded.

"You must be quiet now. There are many sleeping demons here that wish not to be disturbed by us." Alice said quietly as Martha shut her mouth and continued to follow the lady through the twisting tunnels and halls of the underground labyrinth.

Finally, they reached another set of stairs that Alice climbed slowly before coming to another door. She turned to Martha who looked at the doors, dark red in the torchlight like Alice's lips. Spots of pink were beginning to show through, showing that she had been sweating slightly, the sheen still coated her upper lip.

"I cannot enter with you," Alice said softly, turning to Martha and taking her hands, "They must meet you alone. When you come out, you will be a different person and I must speak with you as soon as you come out, do you understand me?"

"Yes Ma'am," Martha said meekly as Alice smiled and the doors opened, scraping across the stone floors.

"Do you still have my necklace?"

Martha held up the small chain and pendant, "Good, good. Now, you must listen to what they say and whatever you do, DO NOT turn your eyes from them."

"Of course," She said as Alice nodded and gently pushed Martha into the room, the doors closing behind her.

With heart pounding, Martha watched as torches all along the walls began to light up until her eyes fell upon three jet black coffins standing upright. A scream built in the blond's throat as three shadowy figures appeared on the platform with the caskets.

_"Welcome…welcome…"_ They said in unison as Martha fell to her knees, realizing she had been fooled._ "I sense that this one holds the Seal…"_

_"Yes, she holds the seal…"_ The echoed the cries as Martha began to cry.

"Please! Please whatever you're going to do to me just don't…"

_"We do not kill, Martha Holts. We merely exchange what you hold most dear with her soul…"_ They said in the same whispery voice as the pendant began to grow hot in her hand. She screamed again and attempted to let it go but now it was pounding, like a heart of a man condemned to hang in her hand, searing hot.

_"Let go…"_ They said as Martha felt her body give way and something leave her.

Her bones hurt. Her skin felt loose and wrinkly, her body…the thing she treasured most in her life…gone. She slowly stood up as the creatures eyed her with their wicked coal eyes, glowing in the darkness.

_"The Pirate Queen always pays her debts…"_ One mused in the same whispery voice as she cried, salty tears falling down her face, _"When they payment refuses to come though…we will come in their wake…"_

_"Indeed,"_ the other two agreed as they faded and the doors opened slowly. The old, haggard woman that had once been so beautiful stumbled from the chamber, wishing nothing more than to kill Alice. What had they meant by pirate queen? So many questions filled her mind as she heard the click of a gun.

She slowly turned her tired eyes up to Alice, a pretty pistol pointed at Martha's head, "I don't want to kill you."

Martha scoffed and her shoulders sagged, "Why don't you kill me? You've taken everything else I hold dear from me."

The hammer was thumbed back, "Look, I wasn't lying to you when I said I need someone at my bakery we just…" She ran a hand through her long curly hair, "I made this deal to save my own skin 50 years ago and now…now I can't stop."

"You should have let them kill me." Martha said miserably.

Alice shook her head violently as she tightened her grip on the gun, "I've always offered those who I've sacrificed two options. Either you can become the head of my bakery in Bloodstone and remain there the rest of your days…or I can kill you. However, you breathe one word of this to anyone or what they told you in there, I will have someone come in the night and slit your throat; do we have a deal?"

The old woman narrowed her eyes and took a step back, dropping the necklace on the ground, "No, we do not have a deal. I'm going to tell everyone what you are you…you…witch! And when they find out, King Logan will hang you until you're dead and then burn your stinking corpse…"

_BANG! _

"I warned her," Alice said as the old woman's body jerked backwards and she went tumbling down the stairs, a bullet hole spilling blood from her head, "Martha always did have quite the mouth though."

She reached for the necklace and fastened it once again around her neck, touching the pendant with icy fingers, the cold metal once again glowing bright against the blood red of her own dress.

* * *

><p>A fine assortment of horses strolled through the city of Bowerstone, their kept hooves creating a pleasant clip-clop sound as they rounded the bend from the castle through the square. Eyebrows were raised in question as people bowed and curtsies as the royal parade fluttered by, led by the Hand of the King, Walter Beck. Behind him there were several other horses, each carrying a separate member of the royal party. The one that most people watched with wary eyes was the new king, sitting high and mighty on the horse that was just as black as his hair, his grey eyes regarding his subjects with a hawk's eye.<p>

The precession stopped in front of the tailor's shop, small but very tidy at the corner of the main square. Walter had told him about the seamstress who owned the place. The woman was ahead of her time, a critical thinker who would take old clothes that had been donated and patch them up before selling them second hand to the poor people of the city.

The young man dismounted his horse and a foot man held the door open for him, the bell jingling gaily as he stepped over the threshold. Inside, men and women alike bustled around, getting sized and hems readjusted. Some bought raw materials such as thread and cloth while others admired the clothing that clung to the mannequins. As soon as he walked through the door, followed by his companions, the shop went silent and a woman stood up from working on the sleeve of a dress for a portly woman. She was pretty with sparkling eyes and dark hair swept up in a bun to keep it out of her eyes.

"Your majesty," She dipped into a curtsey as the king regarded her with the same eyes.

"You are the seamstress that owns this establishment?" He asked as the woman stood and nodded.

"I am Alice O'Connor, your Majesty. What can I do for you this fine day?"

Her eyes flicked from him to the party behind him, recognizing the prince from the other day. He had dark brown eyes and a mop of light brown hair that fell into his face. He stood tall with a small crown on his head and in fine clothes but this didn't stop him from still looking sad.

The king took off his gloves and slowly began to look around the shop, "I was doing my rounds of nobles I should come and greet now that I am king and Reaver told me to come to this shop in particular. He said that the lady there may work with commoner's blood but she holds herself with the grace of a queen. She should take a place in your court." Logan looked her up and down like a dog eyeing his meat. Alice didn't like the fact that he was taller than her and was probably only 17 or 18 at the most.

Alice curtsied again, slower this time, "Of course your Majesty but my place is amongst the dresses and cloth I sell here, not at court with the fine lords and ladies of Albion." She then arched an eyebrow before smiling, "Perhaps I can be, of sort, an ambassador of the people. I can work in my shop and whenever there is something that the people of Albion need brought to your attention, I will bring it forth so that you have someone to listen in on the rants of your people."

Logan peered thoughtfully into space, his wispy beard almost too much for Alice to take, "Yes. I do believe that your proposition may work. If I had someone down here, I would know when someone wanted…change." With the word, he shot a glare over at a woman who was whispering to another one of her coworkers. She gave a small gasp and turned back to her work, "Very well Alice O'Connor. You will indeed be the Ambassador of the People. In good faith, I grant you full access to the Palace Gardens and any services you may need of the royal court."

"Very good, Your Grace." Alice curtsied again for good measure as she willed her heart to stop pounding in her chest.

"Until we meet again, Lady O'Connor." The king bowed and she curtsied before turning on his heel, his soldiers following. The last two to leave were the prince and the tall, gentle giant Walter Beck.

"Wait," Alice said suddenly, the prince turning around. Alice reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a small box, "I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother, Your Grace."

"Thank you, Lady O'Connor," He said stiffly, just like his brother. It made Alice sad to see that the childlike innocence that came with his mother's death had flown out the window.

"Please, call me Alice." She opened the box, revealing a small golden coin that had a strange inscription on it, "I received this from a friend of mine when he was traveling in Samarkand. It's a talisman said to bring good luck. Perhaps you should have it now." She closed the box as the Prince's eyes widened and she dropped both the box into his hands as he looked up at her with shining eyes.

"Thank you…Alice." He managed to say her name as he turned on his heel and ran out the door, hurrying to keep up with his brother.

She put her hands on her hips and smiled, shaking her head at the boy who she wished still had his innocence and a mother to hold him in his times of need.

* * *

><p>So, welcome back everyone. Missed you in the...three days this wasn't updated in. Hopefully you are all doing quite well.<p>

Anyway, this was actually never really supposed to happen. It just kinda...did. A friend of a friend who had read the story asked me how it was going to end and I admitted I wasn't quite sure. He then told me that it would be interesting to see how Rosie/Alice adapts into Fable 3. Would it be the same as Reaver? Or would she take a completely different road?

Well, dear readers, this is what you will get to find out in the next few chapters!

Peace!

Queenie


	23. Choices Lead to Destiny

_Time went on in Albion unhinged. For a time, the people of Bowerstone and the walls beyond the kingdom appreciated Alice's contributions and for a time, the king actually listened to her, helping anyway he could._

_Then, one day, without a trace, the king left on a journey and when he came back…he was a different man, angry and fierce. He turned away from most of his advisers including Alice and listened solely to Reaver's advice. He disregarded everything she would say and people began to hate her…almost as much as they came to hate their king. Taxes soared and people died every day from starvation or the punishment that Logan was dishing out anyone who couldn't pay is abnormally high fees. The people cried out and Alice took those complaints to the king but only told them to a deaf ear. Reaver was there each time she went, smirking like the fool she was and her blood would boil as her stomach turned. How could she have once loved someone as cruel as the tycoon?!_

_It would always be the same, no matter what, her words like sweet nothings as the people of Albion died around her. When she would return to her shop, she would pay her workers a little extra to maybe keep them out of the brothels and whorehouses that seemed to be lurking at each corner…funded by Reaver of course._

_She would then turn to her head to the castle and wonder what would happen if they continued along this path for much longer without change…without a revolution._

* * *

><p>-Albion, 15 years later-<p>

"You CAN'T do that!" Alice snapped, her face flushed with anger as she narrowed her eyes at the king.

"Do not tell me what I can and cannot do," he snarled, standing up and pointing an accusing finger at her, "I once thought you to be my ally but now I'm beginning to think you're just a spy!"

"Handing Industrial over to Reaver is the stupidest thing you could possibly do! He'll work the people to the bone! Children will not go to school!" Alice argued, "I'm no spy, just an advocate to those who have had their voices crushed under the heels of this creature!" She pointed a finger at Reaver who pretended to looked shocked.

"I've heard enough!" Logan shouted, motioning for his guards to get ready to pounce on Alice, "Take her to the dungeons! I'll hold a trial…"

"Your Majesty," The calm, collected voice of Reaver pierced the court as he took a step forward, "Perhaps Miss O'Connor is just tired and stressed. She's had quite enough to do what with all the weddings that are beginning to pop up all over Albion…people breeding like rabbits…"

Logan sighed and motioned his guards to stand down, "Just…get out of my sight." He finally said, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"I'm not done…"

"I AM, Alice! Do not test my good graces! They are already thin enough!" He snapped as Alice deflated slightly before raising one finger, shaking in anger.

"You are making a mistake." She finally said, a snarl of anger on her face as she turned on her heel and stormed out of the throne room.

She stormed down the hallways of the castle before walking into a library until she heard someone call out her name.

"Alice!"

Turning her head slightly, her heart gave a flutter of fury and anxiety as she saw the top hat and cane. "Master Reaver," She said coldly, turning to face him, "What can I do for you today?"

"Come now, Alice. Must we be at opposite ends of the spectrum? The people are fed and the crime rate has gone down in Industrial since I took over!"

Alice scoffed, "That's because anyone who can work IS working! Including children who need schooling if they ever want to make it out of the gutters! They'll become whores or die from the whooping cough and tuberculosis under your cruel hand! You're not making it better, you're making it worse! Crime's down because there's nothing to steal! You…greedy bastard!"

"Ah, must you wound me so deep, my darling?" He asked, pretending to be offended, "Come now, we must be reasonable. Besides, it was only 20 short years ago we were adventuring around the seas…searching for treasure…you stole my share by the way. I should have shot you in the leg for that."

Alice narrowed her eyes and cocked her head slightly, "You say that as if I should really care if you got your treasure or not. You had plenty, so I heard once I came back."

"That's not the point, Alice." She winced when he said her name. It was like a slap to the face when he said it, "The point is I just saved you from what might have been your execution. Maybe a little gratitude is in order?"

Alice took a step forward and sneered, her eyes cold and unyielding, "The moment I show even a little gratitude towards you is the day that Hell freezes over!" She snapped, turning on her heel to leave his presence.

"Ooh, I see we're still rather touchy about That Night then!" He called after her as she stopped for a moment, thinking of anything she could say to him…but finding nothing. Both knew what he was talking about…but neither would refer to it by its proper title…The Night Rosie had her Heart Broken and Reaver was, as Usual, a Heartless Bastard. She was almost sure some theatre company in Brightwall had put it on as a play recently…

She stormed through the castle, nasty thoughts about Logan, through the library and almost tripped over…a chicken! The poor thing looked like it had been through hell and had seemed to have broken its wing. Alice could tell that perhaps once it had been white but it was covered in what appeared to be coal dust, streaking off on its feathers.

"Hey now, I'm not going to hurt you," she said as she stooped down to examine its wing. It clucked nervously as she heard a gun cock behind her.

"Forgive me, Lady O'Conner," A man's nasally voice said as Alice turned around and narrowed her eyes. It was the cook, a ginger man who she generally disdained, holding a large blunderbuss that was still smoking. "I need you to move so I can…"

"No." She said sharply as the gun dropped slightly.

"What?"

"You heard me. You're not going to hurt this chicken," Alice snapped as the cook dropped the gun to his side and rubbed his head sheepishly.

"But…this chicken…it ruined my kitchen!" He said before Alice stooped up to pick it up.

"Well, he's now in my protection and if you try and hurt him, I'll make sure the king knows that you've been spitting in his soup!" The chicken tried to get out of her grip but she held onto it tightly to make sure

The cook paled and nodded so quickly Alice thought he may get whiplash, "Y-yes, of course Lady O'Connor. My apologies."

"Just go and we'll never speak of this again." She said with a tip of her hat before turning on her heel, the chicken still tucked under her arm. When she was out of reach of the cook, she glanced over her shoulder and dropped her chicken, who still clucked in pain as he scurried away from her, his broken wing bent at an odd angle.

"You're welcome!" She said laughing as she saw someone walking down the stairs in a rather casual outfit…especially for royalty. The brown haired Prince Adrian hurried down the steps but slowed when he saw Alice. They had only spoken a few times since the day that Logan had come into her shop but she had always thought the young prince to be handsome…even though she somewhat felt like a pedophile when she thought about him in that way. She had known him for as long as he could probably remember and while he changed into a strapping young man, she remained the same. Eternally young and mysterious, to hide behind the veil of time.

He nodded at her and she nodded back, smiling and curtsying, "Good afternoon, Your Highness."

He bowed, "Lady O'Connor. I wish we could stop and speak but…I'm meeting someone." He flicked his eyes over to the stone wall that kept commoners out and she looked as well. To her surprise, she saw one of the younger ladies of court, Elise who she knew to have a crush on the prince.

"Of course! Go on, I won't keep you." She nodded as the Prince smiled at her and continued down the stairs, followed by a black and white mutt that stayed on his heels wherever he went. She watched as it rushed over to Elise and began to lick her face happily. The two embraced fondly as she turned to look out across Bowerstone. From here, the city loomed off into the distance. Even in the 25 years she had been there; it had changed so much from the quaint hamlet to the hub of industry for the whole of Albion.

Alice's thoughts drifted off as she slowly made her way to one of her favorite spots in the garden: The Hero Queen's tomb. Alice smiled sadly and brushed a stray curl behind her ear, sitting down on the steps. She had only met the queen once, when she had come forward as Alice O'Connor not as Rosie Sharpp, the Pirate Queen. She would have probably gotten her head taken away from her for that. However, the queen was a good ruler. Strong, fierce, and kind, just the way a queen should be.

She sat there for some time, thinking about what Albion had become under Logan's rule. He had promised so much to the people and now…now it had fallen into ruin and rot, the king's hand crushing the very life from his people; the same people he had sworn to protect so very long ago. She wondered on more than on occasion what had happened when he had left Albion a year. What had happened to turn such a lively young king into such a hardened tyrant? Perhaps it was an answer that Alice would never get.

"If only you could see what your son has done to your country," she murmured bitterly. Suddenly, Alice's ears caught the sounds of angry people and she jumped up to jog back to the castle, ignoring the glares of older ladies in far fancier garb than Alice. She glanced over at the place that the prince and Elise had been standing and her heart began to race when she saw that they were no longer standing there. Taking the steps two at a time, she skidded around the corner until she saw Adrian, Elise and Sir Walter Beck standing at the window.

"They're protesting Logan's unfair taxes!" Elise was saying as Walter frowned, his eyes flicking upwards as Alice came rushing towards the trio.

"What's going on?" She asked, her breath coming out in ragged gasps.

"Lady O'Conner, you shouldn't concern yourself with these matters…" Walter said sharply, his eyes narrowing. Alice knew that Walter trusted her just about as much as he trusted Reaver because of her involvement in Bowerstone's industry.

"Let me help! Maybe I can calm the crows down!" Alice begged, "I'm sure that this is just a large misunderstanding!"

"Perhaps you could reason with them," Adrian said helpfully as Alice nodded and made a beeline for the two double doors.

"I'll try, Your Grace." Alice said as the doors opened and she was hit full on with the brutal cacophony of the people's shouting. They screamed profanities and curse words, each hitting Alice like a knife.

"Listen! Please, listen to me!" She tried to shout over the crowd but each cry got lost in the sea of voices, "LISTEN TO ME!"

With that final scream of desperation, the people quieted slightly, "The king understands your frustrations but standing on his doorstep, screaming at him to fix things isn't going to help your cause! I know why you are upset and I know that the king is, for lack of a better word, harsh but everything he does it to keep you safe."

"Safe from what?! I'd like to know!" A voice in the back shouted as people murmured their agreement.

"I…I don't know. I am a citizen of Albion, like you. I have tried to speak for your behalf but the king…" She couldn't even finish her sentence, "The king is trying his best to please everyone. However, I know most of you are hungry and tired of this but I promise you, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and Prince Adrian wants to help you all…"

The doors burst outward and people started to scream as Logan's guards in their shining metal helmets knocked her aside and pointed their blunderbusses into the faces of protestors. Women began to cry and the men tried to rush to their aid but in all the confusion, nobody was really helping anyone.

"Please, stay calm!" Alice tried to yell but as she did this, she caught the attention of a guard who took one step forward, a sneer on his face.

"Well ain'tcha the pretty one?" He asked as he raised the butt end of his gun, "I bet you think this riot is a real party, don't you? You the ringleader in this little party, love?"

"No wait, this has been a big misunderstanding…" Rosie began to say but before she could finish her sentence, the gun was brought down on her temple and her vision went dark.

Alice groaned, her world coming back into focus. She tried to look up but her head swam so badly it was nearly impossible. Groaning, her head lulled to the side and she groaned, reaching up only to feel something sticking there. Pulling her hand away, she was surprised to find blood and when she had finally come back, she was even more surprised to find she was in the throne room with three other people and her hands were cuffed.

"Wha…?" She began to say as her eyes focused on Logan who was watching her like a scientist would watch a bug under the microscope.

"So, you were with them. One of the ringleaders, I see. I should have expected this from you, Alice. A friend to the people," He scoffed and Alice's eyes flicked over to see the young prince, standing firmly against the carpeted ground, Elise was struggling to get out the clutches of two of Logan's guard's, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You can't choose them! You have to choose me!" She kept saying as Alice tried to stand, her world still wobbling slightly, her head still pounding like a bitch.

"What the hell is going on?!" She snapped as she looked over to see her the three people standing with her crying, one of the men holding the women.

"Please…we didn't mean to hurt anyone…" The other man said as Logan scoffed and looked down on them as if they were bugs.

"You should have thought of that before, you fools." Logan sneered as he turned back to Adrian, "If you want to be king so badly, you must choose or they'll all die!"

Alice's heart dropped to her feet. Die?! What was he talking about, dying?! She tried to lunge forward but was held back by a guard as she dropped to her knees, her headache making her close her eyes.

"On what charges are we held?!" She snapped as Logan looked down at her.

"On the charges that my little brother must learn that he can't save everyone." Logan said coldly as Adrian dropped his head, "You must hurry, brother!"

When he finally looked back up, Alice could see the tears streaming down his face. He looked over at Elise whose face was as pale as death as he reached over, trying to grab her hand.

"I am so, so sorry, Elise." He said, barely audible over the woman's sobbing. Looking over at us, he looked back up at his brother who was smiling nastily, "Let the protestors go."

"A wise choice," he said, turning to his guards, "Take the girl away."

"I'm so sorry!" Adrian called after Elise. When she had finally gone, he turned back to his brother, fire in his eyes and hatred in his soul, "I will never forgive you for this!"

"Good, then you'll never forget. Take my brother back to his chambers and let the protestors go." The guards moved away from the group but then Logan held up his hand, "But keep the Lady O'Connor here. I wish to speak to her in private."

The others raced out of the room, shaking in both fear and happiness until it was only Logan and Alice left in the room, Alice shaking in anger and in dizziness.

"You sick bastard!" She yelled, "He didn't deserve that and you know it! You…you are a terrible person!"

"Watch your tongue, Alice. I have already sent one young lady to her death today. I would hate to send another." He smirked as she opened her mouth to respond but instead, she closed it and held up a finger, vibrating with anger.

"If you hurt him in any other way, I swear to Skorm that I will personally take you off that throne and throw you out the nearest window." She snarled as Logan chuckled and then took a step forward.

"I admire your fire, I really do. But do not expect my compassion next time, Miss O'Connor." He said. As quick as a snake, his hand lashed out and grabbed Alice by the chin, "Do not mistake my kindness for weakness." He said softly, squeezing her chin until her eyes watered, "I won't save you next time, do you understand me?"

Alice hissed as his nails dug into her skin and he let go, "You're a sick man."

"I like to think of myself as…harsh." He turned back to his throne, his back to her, "You may go, Miss O'Conner."

Alice narrowed her eyes and turned on her heel and stormed out of the throne room.

"Miss O'Connor, are you quite alright?" A man's voice asked as she turned to see the butler Jasper at her side, "What did Logan do to you?"

"Threatened me. Had his guard put his gun against my skull. Destroyed the prince's emotional well being…" She laughed bitterly as Jasper placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Come with me. I'll give you something for your head wound." He steered her to the servant's quarters and had her sit down at an old table as he fussed with her wound.

"Something needs to be done. We need nothing less than a revolution." She said, wincing as he dabbed something that stung on her wound, "What do you think?"

Jasper sighed and continued to clean her skull, "I think it's not my place to say what should be done in Albion."

"But O'Connor is right," A man's deep voice said as Alice turned to see the hulking figure of Walter Beck walk into the room, "We need nothing short of a revolution and we all know that there's only one hope for Albion."

"Prince Adrian," Alice said as Walter gave her a small smile.

"Prince Adrian. He's his mother's son in more than one way and he's the only way that Albion is going to rise out of the gutter." Walter said as Alice stood up and looked Walter right in the eye, "I..also apologize for allowing you to get into the situation that you were in earlier today, Miss O'Connor."

She squared her shoulders, setting her mouth in a hard line, "If you want to apologize, consider helping Elise escape from prison."

"I think I can manage that, Miss O'Connor."

"And I think it's time you start calling me Alice." She said as she arched an eyebrow, a small smile creeping up her lips, "When are we going to begin said revolution?"

Walter's eyes sparkled with anticipation as he answered, "The revolution begins at midnight."

* * *

><p><strong>Well, this is chapter two. I really have nothing more to say than I'm really trying to get back into fanfiction in general. I'm beginning to read more of it than I am writing it but that doesn't mean that I won't keep writing! Still working on my original book. I don't think it's going to be as rushed as this but I'm still hacking it out.<strong>

**Thanks to my dear sweet reviewers. Remember kiddies, reviews are the lifeblood of the fanfictioneer! **

**Eating pickles on toast, **

**Queenie**

**Reaver, Fable, etc. (c) Lionhead**  
><strong>Rosie, OCs (c) The Queen of Asgard<strong>


	24. The Escape

**Well herro thar readers! Happy Thanksgiving! (Tomorrow but whatever!) I'm thankful for all the readers that actually read my story, MSTs of bad fanfictions and Tom Hiddleston's cheekbones! (Also a decent job) And I apologize for these next few chapters. Lots of dialogue. Trying to get it down with my action stuff and whatnot. Also, Reaver's leaving the picture for awhile. Boohoo! But...other Fable-y goodness to keep you lot fed and watered with tastiness. Also, new couple on the scene. Should be interesting. **

**Anyway, as always reviews are glorious! Thanks to everyone who's followed or is following this story! Your support really is what keeps me going! **

**So, anyway, enough cheese! I'm gonna go watch American Horror Story!  
><strong>**Angry at Tate for becoming Kyle, **

**Queenie **

* * *

><p>Elise sat in her cell, counting down the moments to her death. Her dress was torn and her face was smudged with dirt and Avo knows what else. She strained to hear even the softest of noises but all she heard was the scuffle of rats that had scared her when Logan's Honor Guard had thrown her down here nearly 5 hours earlier. Now, they were the only thing to remind her that she wasn't going deaf.<p>

A great sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes. It didn't matter whether or not they were closed anymore. Scurrying footsteps and a light at the top of the stairs as the door swung open made Elise's heart slam against her ribs. She pushed herself closer to the wall as a woman's figure was suddenly at the bars, kneeling to the lock. "Elise?"

She instantly recognized the voice of Alice, "What are you doing here?!" She hissed, quickly joining her friend at the bars, dirty fingers clutching soft, slender ones, "Where's Adrian? He's not here, is he? What are you doing here?! They'll kill you too if they find you!"

"Be quiet or they'll kill us both down here!" Alice hissed, "Adrian's leaving the castle tonight. He's going to start a revolution."

"I always knew he would," Elise murmured softly as metal against metal was heard at the lock, "What about you? Why are you down here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm freeing you." The lock clattered to the floor and both girls looked up in fear that they had been discovered, "Sorry. I was going to catch that."

The door swung open and Alice and Elise embraced fondly for a moment, "Let me come with you and Adrian!" Elise pleaded as Alice let go and smiled sadly at her friend.

"You have to go. You have to rally the revolution under a different name. Dye your hair. You can't let Logan or his goons catch you. Go to Industrial. They'll never expect you to go there."

Elise nodded quickly and then looked around the dungeons, "How do I…?"

"There's a manhole cover at the end of the hallway that will lead you into the sewers. Just…get out of Bowerstone, Elise. Don't let anyone find you."

The two hugged once more before Elise disappeared into the darkness. Alice made sure that she had her gun placed firmly on her hip before she turned on her heel and quickly exited the dungeons. She would meet Jasper, Walter and Adrian in the garden at midnight.

The halls of the castle were quiet, the occasional guard passing her with a curt nod. It was common for some nobles to stay the entire night at Bowerstone Castle. Alice herself had never stayed but she was dressed in a fashion that didn't seem suspicious…to most people. Of course, most people didn't notice the dirt stains where her knees had pressed into the cold, hard stone of the dungeons while rescuing her friend. That being most people. The person that she nearly collided with when rounding a corner was certainly not most people.

"Good evening, Miss O'Conner," The smirk was obvious on his face and in his voice, soft and even casual, making her stomach twist.

"Reaver," She said curtly, trying to brush past him, "I must be heading home. I have a busy day tomorrow and I have to go so if you would…"

"Of course," He responded, stepping aside to allow Alice to pass, "Have a lovely evening, Alice."

She didn't even look at him when she brushed past him, the Balverine fur on his white jacket tickling her cheek as she nearly slipped out of his reach. However, at that moment, his hand darted up with lightning speed and grabbed Alice's wrist, pulling her back to press firmly into his front.

"What's on your knees, little flower?" He purred, as with a firm hand reached down and gripped the material at Alice's waist, "Have you been...pleasing someone at this late hour? Perhaps the king or his pathetic excuse of his brother?"

"Let. Me. Go." She snarled evenly as the snarl turned into a gasp as he slid the same hand underneath all the layers she was wearing and brushed against her most intimate place…a place that he had known for some time.

"With not let someone else please you, my dear?" He purred as his tongue found the shell of her ear. Taking it between his perfect teeth, he gave it a soft tug as he petted her already dampening folds, "You do enough for the people of this city." He let go of her ear and slid his hand out of her bloomers and instead down her thigh until…"What's this?"

She took his momentary confusion to jerk herself out of his grip, taking a step back, nearly tripping over her feet since her legs were shaking so badly. God, why did her body have to still react to these sorts of things?! Even though she was pushing her twilight years, her body still responded to touches and caresses just as much as a horny teenager. "It's over, Reaver. I'll never come back. There's nothing anymore and there never will be."

He blinked several times before his surprised expression turned into a smirk, "So you tell yourself, my dear. What did you call me? The poison? Perhaps nobody ever told you this but the only cure for poison is to build up a tolerance."

"I've stayed away for 25 years. I don't think I'll be coming back any time soon, you sick, twisted creature." She sneered, "There is no redemption."

Tense silence followed this last statement as Reaver began to chuckle before his lips parted with a throaty, forced laugh. "What are you really up to, my little flower?"

"I'm not your flower anymore," She snapped before turning on her heel and running down the hall, away from Reaver. However, with a crack, something whizzed a hair's breath away from her face, the plaster in the wall a centimeter away from her head exploding.

"That, my dear, was a warning shot."

Alice froze as she turned around slowly, pivoting on her heel to face the deviant, "Kill me then if you feel like it's the only option you have now."

Reaver gave her one last chuckle before nodding towards the door, "Because I believe that this game of cat and mouse got quite a bit more interesting. You may say there is no redemption from the devil's kiss but I'd like to say that there is one, moncherie."

Alice arched an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue, "Your redemption is my temptation."

With that, he turned on his heel and strolled away, humming some stupid little tune and Alice turned and flew out of Bowerstone Castle.

Alice raced into the gardens, nearly running into Walter Beck, "Reaver…" She gasped, trying to catch her breath, "Reaver knows something's going on. We have to get out of here as soon as possible."

"Come on," Walter said, motioning to the Prince's balcony bedroom, "We're leaving right now."

* * *

><p>Prince Adrian's head was spinning. His fingers dug into the desk as he thought about his failure to save Elise. He had to learn he couldn't save everyone and this dug into him sharper than any knife.<p>

Jasper hovered, hands clenched together, with his brow furrowed, "You mustn't blame yourself," He reassured Adrian, "I don't think any of us really knew how far your brother had fallen into madness."

Adrian bit the inside of his lip, tasting blood. Perhaps the gods would see this as a sacrifice that he could possibly make, "I have to do something. I can't just sit here and wait for him to kill someone else who I care about."

"You're not. We're leaving the castle," A man's voice said grimly as Adrian turned to see Alice and Walter strolling into the bedroom. His heart jumped a little when he saw the seamstress, thankful her brother hadn't put her up to the firing squad as well.

"Elise is safe. I got her out of the dungeons before any of the guards noticed," Alice reassured him as another great weight was lifted off his heart, "Sooner or later they're going to realize that she's gone as well though."

Walter nodded at her and then turned back to the prince, "This kingdom needs nothing less than a revolution."

"It needs a new leader," Alice agreed as Walter finished her thought.

"What this kingdom needs is a Hero." He confirmed as the prince's grip tightened on the table, his knuckles turning white, "It's time to see if you're ready."

The prince finally looked back at the two, narrowing his eyes in confusion, "Ready for…what, exactly?"

"To be your mother's son." Walter said as Adrian finally nodded and took two steps towards his mentor and friend.

"Very good. I will pack some essentials," Jasper said sharply as Walter gave a little chuckle.

"There's no time. We take nothing."

Jasper nearly fell over in shock, "Not even…pajamas?!" He demanded as the prince walked out the door, followed closely by Alice.

"I'll follow you wherever you need me to be," She softly promised Adrian as he passed her down the stairs.

"Thank you, Lady Alice." He responded as the two descended the staircase, followed closely by Jasper and Walter.

"And as your trusty butler, I will follow you wherever fate may take us," Jasper said as Adrian gave a little chuckle.

Walter's face contorted into a scowl as he said something that made Adrian's heart hurt slightly, "I should have done something in the throne room. I should have stopped him."

"All you would have accomplished would have been your death and the death of Lady Alice," Jasper responded as Alice gave a scoff of discontent.

"Logan's been looking to off me for years, I'm almost sure," She said, "I knew someday he would get tired of my 'the people need this' and 'the people need that' speeches."

"Still," Walter continued, as he stepped in front of the prince, "Maybe we should have gone away sooner."

"The sooner the better," Jasper muttered under his breath, Alice nodding in agreement. They got to the bottom steps just as the rain began, fog rolling into the garden, coating the trees and bushes in mist and mystery, "There's something rather sinister about this garden at night."

Adrian looked around, his brows coming together in confusion, "Where are we going?" He asked, "I thought we were leaving the castle."

"We are," Walter assured him, "But there's something we need to do first."

They ran through the garden, past trees that just that morning had been bright with the sun shining through them. Now they looked as if they could hold monsters and gobble up children. Alice didn't like the looks of them whatsoever.

Finally, they stopped in front of the Hero Queen's tomb. The four stopped in front of the steps and looked up, just as the moon began to peek through the clouds, "Why are we here?" Alice asked quietly as Walter looked up grimly.

"It's time we paid out respects to Albion's last great Hero."

Adrian pried open the great stone doors, the musty smell of a place long forgotten seeping into each nose, "I'd never thought I'd enter this place again." Jasper said ominously as Walter led the way into the darkness of the crypt.

"You should have known better." Was Walter's only reply as they descended the stairs into the darkness.

As the door closed behind them with a foreboding crunch, she picked up a torch and took out a book of matches, striking one against the heel of her boot. It flared up in the darkness, like a hope in the face of something evil and dark.

Once the torch was lit, she held it up so she could see everyone, "Well then, shall we?"

Each lit their own torch and they continued into the darkness, "The night your mother died," Walter began, "I promised her that I would bring you down here someday when you were old enough and strong enough."

They continued down a stone walkway and in surprise, Alice realized that torches would be extremely unnecessary. Candles of all shapes and sizes were already lit all around the tombs of the king and queen. It almost made her feel like someone…or something was watching them.

"This is your history, this is your legacy," Walter said as the prince jogged up to the pedestal where his parents lay in gilded coffins, "The world has been too long without a Hero. But I'm hoping it will have one soon."

Alice mounted the dais and stood next to Adrian, looking over at him as he looked up at the great stone angel that had been the guardian of his parent's tomb for as long as he could remember.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly as Adrian looked over at her, his eyes shining in the darkness.

"I…I don't know quite yet." He admitted as she smiled kindly at him.

"You are strong. If you weren't we wouldn't be here right now," She said as she reached down to offer the prince her hand. Finally, he shook his head, knowing that if he was to bear a burden, he would do it alone. Alice understood and dropped her hand to her side, looking up at the angel as well.

Walter reached the dais as well and moved around both the prince and Alice to stoop down at a low stone wall. He placed his hand on one of the stones and pushed, the stone instantly moving under his hand.

The clasped hands of the stone angel dropped suddenly, bouncing several times on an old, rusty chain before coming to rest in front of the prince. He stared at the object in its hand for several minutes before Walter explained.

"This was your mother's most treasured possession: The Guild Seal." He said as Adrian looked over the object. It was roughly the size of a dinner plate with a blue background and golden etchings. Even with the time it had spent down here, it glowed in the light of the candles, "It chooses those who have the power inside them. Those who have the potential to become legends."

"Take it," Alice urged as Adrian looked from Alice to Walter to Jasper. Finally, he squared his shoulders and picked up the Guild Seal, holding it in both hands.

"Is something supposed to…?" He began but as he started to say that, the seal grew hot in his hands and an energy unlike any other began to course through his body. With a roar of pain, he saw his vision blur into a white haze and the world around him faded to nothingness.

* * *

><p><em>He felt himself stumble and nearly fell but manage to catch himself in the process. A woman stood in front of him, dressed in a red and white gown, a hood covering her hair. Her eyes were a milky white color, indicating that she was blind. "Who are you?"<em>

_"I am Theresa, The Seer of the Spire. I guided your mother on her greatest triumph but you have an even greater destiny ahead of you," She explained as Adrian looked around. He now saw that he stood on a road of some sort and the rest of the world was shrouded in mist. A great looming shape seemed to leer at him like some far off obstacle but he couldn't quite tell what it was, "The seal awoke at your touch, as it would no one else's. This means the fate of Albion rests on your shoulders."_

_She motioned to the road in front of him, many gates in front of him, "Before you lies the path you were born to take. And at its end is the kingdom you were destined to rule. Like all heroes, you will face many trials, but you cannot pass through these gates alone. You will need to gather followers and gain the support of your people."_

_Two figures appeared next to Theresa who Adrian knew quite well, "For now, you have the support of three friends, Jasper who will serve you always, Sir Walter Beck, who is your greatest ally, and Lady Alice O'Connor who may or may not have your best interest at heart. Together, you have already taken the first steps in your journey. Now, walk through the gate and claim your reward."_

_"Wait," Adrian stopped her, "You said Alice may or may not have my best interest in mind. What do you mean by that?"_

_Theresa gave him a sly smile before giving him possibly the vaguest answer he could have received, "Alice has always been a point of interest for all parties in this chess match. For now, she is an ally but perhaps later, she will become your worst enemy."_

_"But…" Adrian began but with a wave of her hand, Theresa disappeared and the gate opened. Silently cursing her under his breath, he walked forward towards the chest that lay before him. On the seal was a fireball made of rubies that glittered like the embers of a fire._

_"Wonder what this does…" He mused to himself as he pried the lid open. Pulling out a leather gauntlet, he felt it hum with power. Slipping it on, his hand began to tingle and he grinned, knowing that he had obviously done something right._

_"There is a great power inside you," Theresa's voice whispered in his head, "You merely lack the means to use it. Take this gauntlet and unleash the hero that's inside you."_

_He nodded as he flexed his fingers, marveling at how well the leather fit him, "Use it by the seal in the tomb and the way out of the castle will show itself to you. You will return here when you've gathered enough followers to pass through the next gate." She then pointed towards the seal behind him, "Now go. Walter and Jasper will follow you wherever you may lead and perhaps one day, the rest of Albion will too."_

_"What about Alice?! Why will she become my greatest enemy?" He demanded as he heard Theresa laugh._

_"Alice follows but one thing; her heart's compass, wherever that may lead her."_

_With another flash of light, he felt himself land on the cold hard stone of the crypt, Theresa's words about heart compasses echoing in his mind._

* * *

><p><strong>All comes back to Alice. Greatest love or greatest enemy? Only time will tell! <strong>


	25. Compassion Will Win an Army

**I apologize for the lack of updates! Getting through the in-game dialogue is harder than I thought! *Wipes bead of sweat off her brow* But fear not my fabulous readers because there is more updates on the way!**

**Thanks to everyone who is still continuing to read this as we pass the 100,000 word mile marker. BIG thank you to the people who have been with me from the beginning. ALSO, I'm replacing some older chapters here in the near future so please do not panic! It will only make things worse. **

**Carry on my wayward son, **  
><strong>Queenie<strong>

* * *

><p>His eyes snapped open and Adrian sucked in a great breath of air. Alice was there, hand on his upper arm to steady him.<p>

"My Prince?" She asked, watching him carefully to make sure he didn't fall over.

"Do you feel any different?" Walter asked, keeping his dark eyes glued to Adrian's.

"I…I don't know," He said softly, looking down at his hands, just to make sure that they weren't on fire or anything.

"Try casting a spell," Alice urged, "Maybe that will help us get out of here."

"It's the only way out of here," Walter muttered, earning him a glare from Jasper.

"You could have mentioned that earlier." The butler scowled but turned his eyes back to the young prince.

Adrian nodded and furrowed his brow, trying to concentrate on infighting a fireball in his hands. A small fire flickered to life in the palm of his hand, the flame warm but not hot enough to burn his skin. Watching in wonderment, the fireball began to grow into an inferno of magic and flames. Suddenly, he threw his hands down, lighting the dais under his feet. Alice had to jump away to keep from getting scorched in the fire.

The room began to rumble and the tombs of the Hero Queen and her husband began to shift until a great, gaping hole was left where they had once stood, a staircase leading down into darkness.

"Well, what do you know?" Alice mused, a little smile upon her lips, "Well done!"

"It bloody worked! You really ARE a hero!" Walter laughed loudly and clapped the young man on the shoulder who grinned sheepishly and led them into the darkness in the ground.

` "I never doubted it for a second," Jasper assured Adrian.

"Well…neither did I but it worked! It bloody worked!" Walter repeated. Alice rolled her eyes and gave the old knight a grin.

"Of course it worked! He's bound to lead Albion out of this dark age." Alice said, following the other three down the stairs. Adrian's ears turned bright red under her praise, thankful that she couldn't see it in the darkness.

"Hmm, rather dark, isn't it? Small, too." Walter pointed out, looking down the hallway that looked to be carved out of rocks with a dirt floor.

Jasper took the opportunity to poke fun at the old knight, "You never really did care for confined spaces, did you, Sir Walter?"

"I was never one for having my eye poked out or my head chopped off, what of it?!" He snapped defensively.

"Sir Walter, no need to raise your voice," Alice reassured him.

"Yes, no need…although it does seem like I have struck a nerve." Jasper mused mildly. Walter flashed him a glare and scowled.

"What if I strike a butler on the bounce?" Walter grumbled under his breath. Alice chuckled under her breath as the prince spoke up.

"Honestly, enough both of you. I'm not going to bring my brother down and babysit you both," The prince snapped irritably.

"You're right, of course, Your Majesty. Sir Walter was just…over reacting."

"I'll show you over reacting you git…" Walter grumbled.

"Enough, both of you." Alice said sharply, "Prince Adrian is right! If we're fighting now within ourselves, then how will be able to expect to bring Logan down?"

"She's got a point…" Walter said, leaving it at that. They continued on in silence until the path opened up into a large cavern with dizzying ceilings and drop offs that made Alice nervous to look at.

"Now this is more like it! Grand, spacious and oxygen aplenty! Just the way a castle's escape route should be!"

"I don't like it," Alice said, eyeballing the drop offs, "I don't like the steep parts."

"Alice, you didn't tell us you were afraid of heights!" Walter mocked. Alice shot him a look and then looked back towards the path.

"I didn't feel like it was worth mentioning, Sir Walter," She said sarcastically, "Let's just get out of here before someone else takes a crack at someone else."

"I hesitate to ask but what exactly is our plan? Other than leaving the castle far behind us which is a plan I fully support," Jasper assured them.

"It's simple," Walter said good naturedly, "We have to stop Logan."

Adrian laughed softly, "How are we even going to do that? Even if I am a Hero…I'm still just one person."

"Not quite. You have us, Your Majesty." Alice said with a little smile. Adrian nodded in thanks.

"Even with us, we cannot take on an army. We are going to have to find allies and lots of them." Walter explained, jogging to keep up with the prince, "once you prove what you are, ,many people will follow you and some of them will want to fight."

Alice nodded, "We will fight him, I promise you."

"But they need a leader, not just a fighter. Someone to believe in…What Albion needs is a revolution."

Alice nodded, looking up at the ceiling, "You have to bring Albion back to her days of glory."

The prince nodded solemnly and watched as hundreds of bats began to flutter around the ceiling. Suddenly, without and rhyme or reason, they descended, their high pitched shrieking causing Jasper to cover his head in surprise.

"Bats!" Walter yelped, the prince already jumping using his newfound powers to eliminate the bats, turning them into flying fireballs of shrieking madness. Alice pulled out her gun and began to shoot them from the air, twitching masses of black tumbling from the air like rain. When they had finally all fallen, Walter looked over at both Alice and Adrian.

"Well old friend," He said, teasing Jasper, "I do believe that we found what you are afraid of!"

Jasper finished dusting off his immaculate black suit and shot Walter a dirty look from over his shoulder, "It had nothing to do with fear, it had to do with personal hygiene. Bats are filthy creatures!" Walter merely laughed, "Anyway, I think we've seen the first proof of what you can do. You are the hero who can lead this land in a revolution! Bats, I think, are just the beginning."

"Oh yes, because bats are really the first enemies you're going to have to face." Alice said, smirking slightly, "Don't worry. If we run into trouble, I'll have your back."

"Thank you, Lady Alice."

"And how many times do I have to tell you, Your Majesty, it's Alice."

Adrian chuckled, "Then you may call me Adrian. It seems only fair."

She smiled and tasted his name on her tongue, "Adrian. I like it."

"Oh will you two shut up?! You're worse than the two that sit outside in the garden and declare their love for one another at least 3 times a day!" Walter complained. Adrian's heart gave a little flutter in his chest but both laughed good naturedly.

When they reached the bottom of the cave, more bats were disturbed and the prince and Alice again combined forces to take care of the small black pipsqueaks. When finished, Adrian looked over at the woman who had already helped him overcome so much and attempted to map the details of her slender yet sharp face.

"What?" She asked, catching the prince looking at her, "Do I have blood on my face?"

Truth be told she did but Adrian wasn't about to tell her that. "You fight well, Alice."

"I've been fighting for a while." She said simply, sheathing her weapon, indicating the conversation was over.

Jasper rambled on about having to put out clothes for Adrian this morning and how far he had come even from the terrible morning before. "…And now I'm just a midnight snack for bats."

"Don't humble yourself like that, Jasper. You're far too skinny for any bat to eat you!" Alice chuckled as they continued on.

"Oh yes, I can see that the lady has such a fine sense of humor." The butler mumbled bitterly but kept most comments to himself. They stopped where the rock turned to brick and Alice wrinkled her nose in disgust, plumes of fecal matter and human waste assaulting her nostrils.

"Ugh, what is that?!"

"The Bowerstone sewers," Walter responded grimly, "You may want to cover your nose from here on out."

"Isn't there another way around?" Jasper asked feebly.

"Not unless we want to go back around the way we came." Adrian said, forging ahead into the filth that was the sewers.

"Well, we're not going to get anywhere standing around here," Alice retorted and, hiking her dress up around her knees, treaded off after the prince.

All three men turned their heads from her pale legs but Alice didn't seem to notice, instead forging on through the muck and feces that was the sewers.

They passed underneath Bowerstone Industrial, much to the discomfort of everyone in the party.

"What if they find us down here?" Jasper asked in a hushed voice.

"They won't. We must be getting close to the surface." Walter reassured him as they made another turn into yet another cave. However, this one seemed to have a purpose. In the middle was a dais, similar to the one in Sparrow's crypt and candles flickered on either side of them, lighting a way in the darkness. It seemed to be the only way to go but was blocked off by a low stone wall on all sides.

"It appears to be a dead end," Jasper mused, looking around for another way out.

"Isn't this the same symbol in Sparrow's tomb?" Alice asked, pointing out the Seal's shape.

"QUEEN Sparrow," Walter reminded her coldly, "And yes." He turned to Adrian, "I'm pretty sure it's a Cullis Gate. Sort of a magical transport for heroes."

"Maybe you should try using that spell again?" Alice urged helpfully.

"I'll try, but I'm not promising anything," He reassured them, standing upon the pedestal. The same fire flickered in his hands and as he cast it down, Alice felt a shiver go up her back before her feet began to vibrate and a strange white light surrounded her.

"What the…?" She began to say but before the last word could escape her lips, she found herself standing in a cold, dimly lit room, her legs just about as shaky as a newborn foals.

"Hell?!" She said, glancing up at Adrian, then to Walter, then to the fallen form of Jasper who had apparently not taken the trip as well as the others.

"What is this place?" Adrian asked.

Walter walked forward and placed his hands on a map table, similar to the one in the throne room, his thick brows furrowed, "You know, I think this place is your mother's Sanctuary. He used to speak of it but I never thought it was a real place." Glancing over, he picked up a book and blew off the dust, "I don't believe it! Jasper, this book… it has a note with your name on it!"

"What?! There must be some coincidence…" He began. Alice smirked and crossed her arms over her chest.

"No such thing, believe me."

"Oh, don't be a dolt! The Old Queen must have left it here for you! What is it called?" Walter asked, peering to get a closer peek, as Jasper flipped to the first page and thumbed down the script.

Jasper's eyebrows leapt to his receding hairline, "The Book of Heroes! How extraordinary…"

"No need to sound so surprised," Alice ran her finger along the rim of the map, "Ugh! This place is filthy!"

"Well, nobody's been down here since the Queen's death," Walter pointed out in an irritated tone of voice, "Does the book tell us how to get out?"

"This really is quite remarkable! Everything we could ever possibly want to know about heroes and this place is right here in this book!" Jasper exclaimed, ignoring Walter's question. He closed the book with a dusty _thwump_ and turned to face the prince, "This map functions as a traveling mechanism. Simply choose the place you want to go and well, it takes you there!"

"Strange method of travel," Alice mused, focusing on the map that seemed to glow slightly with an unknown light, "I would really enjoy trying it!"

"Right, we can use that!" Walter boomed, placing two hands on the map and eyeballing it suspiciously, "We'll have plenty of time to explore the Sanctuary later! For now we have a rather large task in front of us."

"Right," The prince said, squaring his shoulders, "Where do we start?"

"We start in the mountains of Mistpeak," Walter pointed to the map at a range of snowcapped mountains in the East, "There are people there who can help us. They don't offer their allegiance easily, but they despise Logan and if anyone could inspire them, it would be a hero."

"Very good, I will continue to become acquainted with this Sanctuary. No doubt we will make full use of its facilities." Jasper said in a no-nonsense tone of voice.

"Of course," Walter said, finally turning to Alice, "And what should we do with you, hmm? I have half a mind to leave you here."

"You saw that I can fight, Sir Walter," Alice persuaded, "I can be of assistance to everyone if I come along. And as you know, I was the ambassador for the people of Albion…"

"Well, we all see how well that ended up," Walter muttered sarcastically, "You nearly got yourself killed! Not to mention 5 other people."

Alice narrowed her eyes and tried to keep her voice from shaking, "You could have saved them if you would have stepped in during your confrontation with Logan!"

"Don't you dare peg this on me, you she-devil!" Walter snarled. Alice was taken aback.

"She-devil?! I am offended! Now I don't even want to come along!" She pursed her lips and turned her back on Walter so he couldn't see her red eyes from trying to hold back tears. She had fought for her people. It wasn't her fault in the end Logan decided to kill those who stood against him. It wasn't her fault that Logan had become such a tyrannical ruler. And it certainly wasn't her fault that he had taken the throne in the first place. After a few moments of silence, Walter sighed and put a hand on Alice's shoulder.

"Look, I'm sorry Lady Alice. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that…This whole thing has got me in a foul temper…"

Alice looked over her shoulder and nodded, "I forgive you. I apologize for being so defensive. It's…it's a bad habit of mine."

"Well then…" Walter cleared his throat, "Let's see if that book is telling the truth."

Adrian found it quickly enough and pressed his hand on the little dial. Alice began to feel the same vibrations she had earlier course through her body and the white light surround her once again. A cold wind cut through her red dress and she brought her hands up to rub them up and down on her arms, the snow giving way to snow covered branches and frosted mountains. The path that lay in front of them was cleared of snow and instead was muddy and damp. Tattered flags marked the path every couple of meters or so.

"It worked!" Walter grinned triumphantly and began to walk down the muddy path before wrapping his own arms around his body, "Brr! I had forgotten how bloody cold it was up here!"

For the most part, Adrian didn't seem to be too effected by the chill in the air but his breath still came out in small puffs of steam, "The people here call themselves Dwellers. They're tough and loyal and like I told you earlier, they hate Logan."

"You wouldn't think Logan's influence had reached this far up here," Alice mused, looking around the snow covered slopes, "I feel like we're in no-man's land."

"You'd be surprised, Alice," Walter reassured her, "It may not look like much, but this is where a revolution begins." The path ended at a group of caravans and a ragtag bunch of people, huddling around fire pits. Their eyes were sunken into their dull skin and their cheeks were hollow and thin, bones protruding out of exposed flesh, "This is what Logan has reduced them to. He's taken control of these mountains and started destroying the forests."

"And by Logan, I'm guessing you mean Reaver," Alice muttered bitterly, "Bastards, the lot of them!"

A little girl came up to the three of them, her cheeks gaunt, her bones looked like they may burst through her pallor skin, "I'll trade you my doll for some food! She's really good, honest. Her name's Sadie." She held up a ragdoll nearly as ragged as the little girl was. Alice leaned down and pushed the doll back to the girl's chest gently.

"What sort of food do you like, little girl?" She asked kindly. The sunken eyes brightened instantly at the mention of treats.

"I like pudding! I remember having it once…" She licked her chapped lips and closed her eyes, relishing in remembrance, "I think…I think it's my favorite."

Alice reached into a deep pocket of her dress and pulled out a small parcel, "It's not pudding but I hope you'll like it."

The little girl grabbed it greedily and tore it open, revealing a small white cake underneath. She looked back up at Alice, eyes shining.

"Is this…Is this all for me?!" She asked, her voice jumping up an octave.

"Share it with your family. I'm sorry I don't have more." She reached into her other pocket and pulled out a few gold coins, "Give this to your family as well."

"Oh yes! Thank you, Miss!" The little girl scurried off and ran over to a particularly shabby caravan, showing the cake and the money to a young mother who clapped her hands over her mouth, tears shining in her eyes.

"I knew they had a hard time finding food…" Walter said, looking over at Alice, "You may have just saved that little girl's life."

Alice smiled and nodded at the crying mother before turning back to Walter, "Compassion, Sir Walter. That's what wins people. Not great signs of power or money but compassion for the people."

He nodded slowly, "Indeed it does." They walked up to a great wooden gate and stopped, "The man we need to convince is Sabine. He's a proud old sod, but he's a good man and a good leader. He won't give his allegiance easily, especially to a prince but I'll speak to him first." He cocked his head and eyed both the prince and Alice's clothes, "Maybe the two of you should find some new clothes while I talk to Sabine. Maybe something less…regal? We don't need this kind of attention."

"I can pay for the Prince's wares," Alice said, pulling out her little pocket purse.

"No, I'll give you what I have. It's a little bit of gold but you should find something to wear. Perhaps you can share what's left of it amongst the people." Walter said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small bag of gold, "They need it more than we do."

"Where can we find clothes?" The prince asked.

"Don't worry, I'm sure someone will be more than willing to take that gold off your hands." Walter reassured him, turning back to the gates.

"Come on, Adrian." Alice turned back towards the group of caravans and started down the hill, the prince right on her heels.

Alice had never seen more downtrodden people in her life. Even if she had been all over Albion and the Shivering Seas and back, the eyes that looked back at her were almost…haunted. It scared her to see so many on the brink of death. She gave out a little more gold the prince followed suit…if not a little more sparingly. She heard whimpers of gratitude and several people curse her and the prince under their breath but nobody dared to speak up against them being there.

At a crossroads, they managed to find a little shop where several sets of Dweller clothes were available, the tailor taking the gold from their hands quickly, his own hands shaking violently.

"Do you have anywhere we can change?" The prince asked softly, the cold finally beginning to seep into his bones.

"Take my caravan," The tailor said quickly, "Just…please don't take anything."

"We won't," Alice reassured him, the prince quickly stepping into the caravan and changing from his princely clothing to the far more humble threads of the Dweller people. Suddenly, his clothes disappeared and he looked around to see where they had gone.

"Er, hello? Hello? Is this how…Anyway, I'm speaking to you through the Guild Seal, Sir." Jasper's no-nonsense voice rang through his head, making him wince. "Anyways, I took your clothes back to the Sanctuary through your touch, they are waiting for you now. You may want to tell Miss Alice that she can do the same with her garments."

The voice faded and The Prince waited for the butler to speak again but alas, he had finished talking. Walking back out of the caravan, he was surprised to see how many people had flocked to Alice, telling her about the conditions upon the mountain. She listened to each one, nodding slowly in response to each complaint and woeful story.

"I promise you, the prince will do everything in his power to try and stop Logan." She reassured the people, "All we ask is for your support."

"But Sabine…" One began.

"We are talking to Sabine as soon as we can. I will make sure that none of you go hungry ever again." Alice promised them with a small smile. Adrian's heart warmed when he saw that she was trying to appease the people who had fought for so long and now, all they wanted was to sit back and laugh about how they had been to hell and back.

"Lady Alice, you can get dressed now," Adrian said finally, clearing his throat. Alice turned around and eyed the prince from top to bottom, surprised to see him out of his princely clothing.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," She squeezed the hand of the mother who had been crying when her daughter had brought her the money and stepped past the prince to change.

"Jasper says that your clothes will be taken back to the Sanctuary," Adrian told her, Alice furrowing her brow.

"My clothes will go to the Sanctuary? Seems reasonable," She shrugged and found herself in the small caravan, barren except for one small bed and a tiny stove. 'At least they're able to keep warm,' she thought, shedding her dress. True to his word, the dress disappeared off the floor as did the gloves and hat she had been wearing.

The clothes, although warm, were not what she would have worn on a regular basis. They were unflattering and made her look heavier than she really was but in all honesty, she couldn't complain when these people had so little.

Stepping out of the caravan, she noticed that the prince had picked up right where she had taken off, discussing tales of horror that neither could imagine.

"Of course we will talk to Sabine about it," Adrian promised one distraught looking man about the ban on wood burning. "And the ban will be lifted, of course. You will all have your homeland back."

He looked back and had to look twice at Alice. Even though she wasn't in her usual form-fitting attire, she still held an air of regality…even better than himself. "Are you ready to talk to Sabine?" She asked, tightening the scarf in her once curly hair. It was beginning to dislodge itself, the curls turning into frizz as the wind whipped through it.

"Of course," He responded, the two walking back up the dirt road towards the great wooden gate.

One eyeful of the two of them made Walter grin, "That's more like it! Adrian, the scruffy look suits you. Alice…"

"Don't say anything, Sir Walter." She held up a hand to indicate that she wouldn't listen, "Have you spoken to Sabine?"

"Yes and well…I did say that he needs some convincing," Walter hesitated.

"We were prepared for this," Adrian responded, forging ahead, "And we will talk with him, try and work something out."

"I don't know who you are or what you've done with the Prince," Walter said, his grin widening, "But I like what I see."

The doors opened and upon the snow trodden ground they strolled in, walking up to a woodland throne, fit for the king that sat upon it.


	26. Wolves and Secrets

A large man in front of the throne, obscuring the King of the North from sight. Adrian's dog, Roman rushed over to the man and sat down, his tongue lolling to the side of his mouth in a mock grin. The man stooped down and petted the dog behind the ears, Roman's tail thumping against the ground in happiness.

"Out of the way, Boulder, I can't see a thing!" A thick accented voice snapped, making Alice grin. His name suited him well.

Sabine was short. That was the first thing that Alice noticed about him with a collection of fine white hair above his lip, upon his chin and on his head, decorated with golden rings. His jacket was open, revealing a scrawny chest. Alice could probably count every one of his ribs. This was what a true king would do. He would suffer with his people, not stand by while he ate roast chicken and dumplings and watched as his people starved to death.

"And so royalty walks into our home, a prince no less!" Sabine eyed the two that stepped forward, furrowing his brow when he saw Alice, "And who might this young lady be?"

She curtsied in the way that she had learned, "I am Alice, Sabine. I stand by the prince."

His eyes softened slightly but were still suspicious and haughty, "You are a long way from Bowerstone, my lady." He turned his attention back to Adrian, "And what do you think of our home, hmm? Do you like what your brother has reduced us to?! These mountains have always been ours, and now Logan's taken them and is stripping them of all life!" He put his fists up in frustration, "We're ready to go to war but why should we follow Logan's kin?"

"You can trust me!" Adrian tried to plea, "You have my word."

Sabine scoffed, "Words don't mean much this far from the capital, boy. You should have learned that from your tutor when you were still in diapers." He looked up at the giant, "We're simple folk, ain't that right, Boulder?"

Boulder didn't say anything but huffed in agreement, "Then what do you want?" Adrian asked. Sabine ushered him in closer before speaking.

"Proof." Was his one word answer before going into what he meant by the words, "First, prove to us you are what Walter claims, a Hero. Prove to me that you are your mother's son." He laced his fingers together, "This is easily done. There is a secret chamber beneath the town of Brightwall built by your mother. Only heroes can survive it's trials and reach the relics within. Bring me one of these ancient objects and then we can talk. Second, prove that you're a warrior who can truly lead us into battle! Slay the mercenaries who have long plagued Mistpeak Valley! They sour our existence! Third, prove you are a true leader. Persuade our neighbors in Brightwall to share what food they have with us." Sabine looked over at Boulder and saw him petting Roman, "Boulder!"

The giant stood back up with a chuff of disappointment as Sabine turned back to the prince, "If we cannot eat, we will die and the dead make poor allies."

"Is that all?" The prince asked quickly, waiting for another task.

The king paused for a moment before speaking quickly, "Yup, that's all of it, off you go then! Good luck! Nice knowing you." He stuck a cigar between his lips and nodded at the prince, "Perhaps your friend would like to stay here?"

"No, I'll go with Adrian," Alice reassured Sabine.

"The mountains are dangerous, girl." The old king warned her. Alice pulled her gun out of her side pouch and showed it to Sabine.

"Don't worry, I can take care of myself just as well as he can." She promised Sabine. He nodded at her and gave her a smile.

"Of course you can. You seem like you have a good head on your shoulders, keeps him out of trouble. Good luck, the both of you."

Alice nodded and slid the gun back into its holder before turning back to Adrian, "Well then, shall we?"

They left the little circle of caravans and crossed over into the main part of the village where Walter was waiting for them. The old knight chuckled and looked over at the two.

"Well, it's nice to see that Sabine hasn't mellowed with age!" He snorted and then turned back to the path, walking down slowly, "Anyway, I know the place he mentioned. Your mother built the chamber under the Brightwall Academy, the greatest place to learn…well at least until Logan closed it down."

"Why would he do that?" Alice asked, trying to keep up with the two far taller men, "I mean, it's just a library, isn't it? I've been there a few times myself."

"Doesn't mean that Logan wouldn't shut it down. He probably thought it was for the best interest of the people. Probably cost him a little bit of gold as well." Walter explained. Alice huffed angrily and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Lousy git probably thought it be best to keep this whole damned country ignorant." Alice grumbled, keeping her eyes focused on the road ahead.

"And what do I do when I get there?" Adrian asked.

"Just show the old librarian your Seal." Walter explained, "he'll know what it means. I'll try to find out more about these mercenaries. I'll see you both in Brightwall when I have some information." With that, Walter took off down another path and was gone. Adrian turned to Alice and gave her a smile.

"Well now, My Lady. Are you ready for an adventure?" Adrian said with a little grin. Alice returned the smile and pulled out her gun.

"Ready when you are, My Prince."

The two continued down the path until they found themselves overlooking a path that led down towards Brightwall. The wind whistled through the trees, causing both to look up and shiver slightly.

"Be careful, Alice." Adrian advised, "I wouldn't want you getting hurt."

The regality left Alice's eyes and she gave a prince a wink, "Adrian! You really wouldn't think I would have a trick or two up my sleeve?" With a whoop, she went running down the mountain, skidding down a slippery slope of ice and mud. Roman barked happily and slid down after Alice, trailing her heels. Adrian laughed and followed Alice down the mountain, jogging to catch up.

"Do you mind me asking where you got such a fancy weapon?" The prince asked, catching up with Alice who stopped to look back at him.

"I found it."

"You don't just find weapons like that lying around, Alice."

"Well I did." She said stubbornly, "Well…then again, no, I lied, I didn't. It was a gift from a friend when I was younger." She smiled fondly in remembrance.

"Where did your friend get it?" The prince asked. Alice stopped and slowly turned around, eyebrow arched in irritation.

"If you really want to know my entire life's story, you can just go ahead and get in line." She said sarcastically, "I don't care if you are a prince. I'm not spilling the beans up here in the bloody cold. Give me enough ale and then we'll talk." She turned back around and continued down the mountain.

"Does it at least have a name?" He asked slowly, "Most weapons of that caliber have a name."

She thought for a moment before answering, "The person who gave it to me called her Just Revenge. Personally, I liked calling her Justice."

They carried on in silence, the wind cutting through layers easily until they got to a rickety wooden bridge. The air took on a certain flavor of tension as an eerie howl pierced through the wind, making both Alice and Adrian stop. A growl rumbled deep in Roman's throat as three timber wolves stopped on the other side of the bridge, their bodies scrawny with drool hanging from their blackened lips.

"Wolves!" Alice hissed, already pointing her gun, at the pack of ferocious predators, firing into their midst. Adrian was right at her side, shooting fireballs at the wolves. Some missed the creatures while others met their mark and soon, the scent of charred fur and singed flesh sang in the air.

Alice fired a round into the belly of one that was lunging at her and turned around just in time to watch as another wolf leapt from a rock and tackled her to the ground.

"ALICE!" Adrian roared as she tried to keep its snapping jaws at bay. Suddenly, something jerked her leg away and she hissed in pain when she felt a set of jaws sinking into her leg.

"Fuck!" She swore, finally managing to get her gun between her and the wolf, shooting it in the face. She then proceeded to kick her leg out, loosening the other wolf's jaws in the process before shooting it in the head as well. Her heart still racing her chest, she pushed her hair back from her face and heard gravel crunch next to her. Whipping around, pistol ready to fire, she nearly knocked over Adrian who was kneeling down next to her, his eyes full of worry.

"Are you alright?" He asked quickly, glancing down at her leg. As soon as he saw the blood, she noticed that his face went extremely white and he swayed a little where he kneeled.

"Yeah, I'm fine," She admitted. "At least I think I am."

"Come on, we need to get to Brightwall," Adrian wrapped his arms underneath her and picked her up, placing her back on her feet. She tried to take a step, but each time she put any sort of pressure on her leg, pain shot up her entire left side, making her wince and break out in a cold sweat.

"We need to go back to the Dweller camp," Adrian insisted, already ripping off the bottom part of his robe to tie around her wound, "I'm sure Sabine has something that he can…"

"We can't," Alice muttered through gritted teeth. "We're already halfway down the mountain and going down will be a hell of a lot easier than going up."

He tried to tie the strip of cloth around the bite marks but his knots were decent, at best.

"Here, let me do that." Alice shooed his hand away and bound her own wound, wincing each time she rubbed the rough fabric against the puncture marks. "Just…help me down the mountain."

"Of course," He wrapped his arm around her ribcage and they began to hobble down the mountain. The snow and wind gave way to green grass as they approached the foothills, each step making Alice more and more uncomfortable. Each time Adrian glanced at her, he could see that she was losing her strength. Her hair had become matted with sweat and although her eyes were focused and determined, he could see the pain that lay just below the surface.

Finally, the little town came into view and both breathed a sigh of relief. "We're almost there, I promise we'll make it," Adrian reassured her, watching her eyes take in the alpine village.

Alice gave a weak chuckle and closed her eyes, "I don't doubt you for one moment, my prince. You are, after all, a Hero."

His heart gave a little flutter at these words as they continued on to the village. A long, well-worn stone bridge crossed a large chasm that connected the town to the road on the other side. Mountains rose up on the other side of it and jaunty little shops lined each side of the street. As soon as they crossed into town, they were eyeballed and whispers darted from mouths to ears like bees.

"Where can my friend get help?" Adrian asked a young woman quickly, "She was hurt and she needs medical attention!"

"The tavern has rooms, lad." The woman said quickly, "And the owners are my parents. Tell them that Bonnie sent you."

"Thank you so much," The prince said, still dragging along Alice who was trying her best to put on a brave face. Stumbling into the inn, the people stopped their chatter and gawked at the two dressed in Dweller clothes and the blood that covered both their hands and faces. The woman tending the bar raced over to the two, her eyes full of worry.

"What in the name of Avo happened here?!" She demanded, first looking from Adrian then to Alice, "Is she quite alright?"

"No ma'am! Er, Bonnie sent us. We were attacked by wolves in the Mistpeak Valley and she was hurt. Is there any way she can stay here and get help? I need to go do something important but I need to make sure that my friend is safe."

"So you were talking to Bonnie, eh? No need to worry. My husband is the town doctor. She'll be in good hands." The woman turned to the back and called out to her husband. A man came to the front and caught sight of Alice, flicking his eyes to the ripped leggings and bloody bandages.

"What happened?" He asked sharply.

"Wolves in the valley." His wife explained simply, "Can you take care of her?"

"Of course." He responded smoothly, wrapping his arm around Alice's waist, "She's losing a lot of blood. We're going to have to stop that before we do anything else."

"Can I leave her here with you?" Adrian asked quickly, "I have some other business to take care of here…"

"Of course." The man said, "I'll have her patched up right as rain by the time you get back."

"I can hear everything you're saying," Alice grumbled, "I can speak for myself." She looked at Adrian and gave him a little smirk, "Be careful, Adrian. Don't get bitten by any wolves while on your…special errand."

He chuckled and reached forward as if to kiss her on the forehead…but instead brushed her hair out of her face, "I'll be careful. You feel better."

Alice was guided towards a back room with several chairs and a table that may or may not have had dark spots on them…hopefully she didn't have rabies or whatever the Albion equivalent was. The doctor had her sit down on the table and put a chair under her leg to inspect the damage.

"What was your name again, dear?" He asked, unbinding the bandage slowly.

She hissed as the cool air hit the bite but managed to answer, "Alice."

"Alice, eh? My name is Benjamin. You may call me Benny." He clicked his tongue as he examined the wound, "It's a good thing this wasn't any deeper or we wouldn't be sitting here talking about our names."

Alice shivered at the thought of being left alone on that mountain, shooting at the wolves until they finally finished her off. She had dealt with worse but it had been a long, long time. "I keep telling that crazy mayor that we need to send someone to deal with them but there's nobody in town willing to go out and kill them!" He ranted a little longer before a comfortable silence settled between the two as he cleaned the wound with what Alice hoped was clean water. "I'm sorry, this may sting a little."

He grabbed a clear bottle and the strong smell of rubbing alcohol perpetrated Alice's nose. She hissed when he applied a cloth he had dipped in the bottle. He sighed and bit his lower lip, "I'm sorry, the wound isn't clotting. It's going to need stitches, I'm afraid."

Alice nodded, "I've had worse."

He arched an eyebrow and Alice gave him a nervous little smile, "Have you ever been shot?"

"No, I can't say I have. Nor do I really want to be." He chuckled, "It's been awhile since any Dwellers have braved coming down the mountain but I doubt you and your boyfriend are really Dwellers."

Alice felt her face grow hot, "He's…erm, not my boyfriend."

"Lover, husband, fiancée, whatever. The details don't matter to me at all." He shrugged and suddenly, the door burst open and Alice was pleased to see the figure of Sir Walter Beck at the door.

"What happened?!" He demanded, "Elizabeth told me that two Dwellers came into town and one had a hurt leg!" He chuckled and pointed at her gun, "I thought you said you knew how to use that thing."

Alice pursed her lips, "Come closer and I'll show you how I use it, Walter Beck!"

He threw back his head and laughed, "Oh I forgot what a temper you had on you! Anyway, where's Adrian?"

"Out fulfilling his Hero destiny." She laughed…until the needle pierced her flesh. Walter winced and sat down next to the table, reaching up to offer his hand. She shooed it away and even gave Walter a weak smile.

"Might I ask what happened?" Walter asked, eyeballing her swollen leg.

"Timber wolves in Mistpeak."

"Ah yes, I was wondering who killed all those wolves."

"Yeah, that was us."

Benjamin tied off the thread and took off his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose before putting the needle back in his little case and instead pulling out a roll of white bandages, "Alright Alice, I've bandaged your leg. The stitches should come out in about two weeks. Think you can handle that?"

"Of course, Sir!" She jumped up off the table and winced when she put weight on her leg, "It feels better but…"

"Here, take this," he pulled something out of his pocket. It was a little vial with a red liquid inside, "It's a healing potion. It should take away some of the pain."

She took the potion and nodded in thanks, downing the vial in a single gulp, wincing when the bitter liquid seeped over her tongue. Instantly, cool relief coursed down her leg. She sighed and put more weight on her leg. "Thank you again. It feels much better."

Benjamin gave her a little smile, "Of course!"

She pulled out her little coin purse and started pawing through her coins, "How much do I owe you?"

"I think a hundred gold should suffice," He said, wiping off his hands and replacing his glasses. Alice put the gold in his hand and nodded at Sir Walter.

"So, are we going to wait around for Adrian?"

He looked down at her and gave her a little grin, "And now, we wait."

* * *

><p><em> Adrian felt the music box tremble under his fingers and suddenly, a bright light appeared in front of him in the shape of the guild seal.<em>

_ "You have done well," Theresa's mystical voice said softly, "Now, step into the light. There is much you need to know."_

_ Adrian touched the seal and felt his body grow warm as the seal encased him. He now once again stood on the misty road, his feet planted firmly on the bronze seal. Theresa stood in front of him…and another gate._

_ "You've done well, Hero." She said, a smirk in her voice, "Touching the guild seal was indication of what you already were. Reaching the music box is merely a show of what you already are. No one but a hero could have done that."_

_ "But I failed." He admitted, trailing his fingers along the intricate details of the box, "I let Alice get hurt."_

_ Theresa smirked and shifted from one foot to the other, "Adrian, did your mother tell you how she got that music box?"_

_ "Er, somewhat. She told me that she and her sister bought it when she was only eight and that it was used to defeat Lord Lucien." _

_She held up a hand to stop the boy, "Yes, she defeated Lord Lucien but at the cost of her first husband's life…your brother's father. You may have let Alice get hurt but what is the cost of one life to that of millions?"_

_"But Alice…" He began but was again stopped._

_"I understand you have feelings for her, Adrian but you have to realize that she is one person, regardless who she is to you. You have to remember that reach your full potential as a Hero."_

_He pursed his lips and finally nodded, "Of course."_

_She smiled and continued speaking, "You have only started to obtain the powers you possess, and there is still greater power within you. But again, this is only the first steps in your journey. Albion is crying out for a revolution…and you are the one to lead it. Winning over allies will be difficult but leading them against Logan will be an even greater challenge."_

_Images of that day in the throne room flashed in Adrian's mind…the ringleaders…Elise…Alice… "I'll make him pay for what he did."_

_She arched an eyebrow and shook her head, "This is not a matter of personal vengeance. As long as Logan sits on the throne, Albion is in great danger."_

_"What sort of danger?"_

_"Open the music box and learn the truth." _

_He narrowed his eyes but did what Theresa said. The sad, tinkling melody played gently and the road began to fade. Adrian could see the war room, the map of Albion in its heart. He could hear soft footsteps on the rug and then his brother's voice. It made his blood go cold._

_"This is my Albion," Logan stated to no one in particular. He could see Logan now, still in his regal outfit, the same scar above his lip, same slicked back hair with one gray streak, "The cities will bow to my law…or they will burn." He eyeballed the map and turned his nose up at the Mistpeak mountains, "It's mountains will bend to my will...or they will fall."_

_His hand traced the edges of the map, his eyes still caressing the map like a woman he wanted to take, "This is my Albion. Its people will do what I say or they will die. It's future will be as I decree or it will end." He looked back over to the wall and continued his monologue, "I have seen what must be done, and nothing will stand in my way. We will be greater, we will be stronger, no matter what sacrifices we must make." He took three steps to the left and then slammed his hands upon the Shivering Seas, fingers splayed to cover half of Aurora, "This is my Albion." He slowly looked up, anger and madness coursing through his body with every beat of his heart, "And I will see it destroyed before I surrender."_

_The scene faded and Adrian found himself back on the misty road, Theresa still standing in front of him, "If any part of you still doubted the necessity of a revolution, you have your answer. The kingdom will face its own annihilation under your brother's rule."_

_"What did that mean?" Adrian asked, "The whole burning cities and surrendering and the destruction of Albion?"_

_"More of that to come. For now, you must focus on the revolution," Theresa said with a dismissive hand, "Now, do what you must to gain your first ally, for you cannot lead a rebellion without followers. Sabine is a good man, and his people are strong."_

_She vanished and the second gate opened, revealing more of the path and chests. He chose one with a sword on it and felt his sword vibrate. When he pulled it out of its sheath, he grinned, seeing that the blade had transformed._

_"Interesting," he said before walking over to the next locked gate. With a hum, he felt himself vanish once again into the unknown._

* * *

><p>The library faded up once again and papers went flying everywhere, Samuel's eyes as big as plates. "Blessed index cards…you made it!"<p>

"Yeah, I guess we did," Adrian said, rubbing his dog's head fondly.

"This is cause for great rejoicing! Albion has a hero again!" Samuel said proudly, grinning from ear to ear, "If ever I can be of assistance, I will be honored to serve you."

"Thank you," Adrian said with a little smile. "Actually, there was a book I wanted to look at down in one of the rooms. I saw it in passing. Do you mind if I borrow it?"

"Anything for you, my prince!" Samuel exclaimed, "Do you need help finding it?"

"No, I think I know where it is, but thank you." Adrian gave him another smile and then took the stairs two at a time before turning to the left into a small alcove of books. He found the book he was looking for and then scanning the pages before he felt his blood grow cold.

_"Many guns stand out in pirating history but only a few have become legendary. One of these guns is the infamous Just Revenge, wielded by the Amynta the Bold, one of the only female pirate captains to ever roam the Shivering Seas. When The Red Secret, Amynta's flag ship and Rosie Sharpp, Queen of the Pirates's fleet when into battle, The Red Secret had to surrender after three days of battle. In a sign good faith, Amynta gave Rosie Sharpp her infamous weapon and was lost when Sharpp disappeared." _

He slammed the book shut and tucked it under his arm, walking back out of the library. When the time came, he would ask Alice more about her weapon. But for now, Theresa was right. He would focus on getting his allies…and keeping Alice, and her secrets, close.

* * *

><p><strong>Hmm, could Adrian be starting to tread onto the trail of Alice? Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of Better Off Reaver!<strong>

**Reaver, Fable (c) Lionhead  
>AliceRosie (c) Me  
>Amynta (c) EmeraldxLady (Also known as my best friend!) <strong>


	27. Transformation

Adrian walked into the inn and waved at Bonnie who was sitting at a table, flirting with a younger gentleman. She waved him over and the young man eyeballed him once over to make sure that he wasn't going to make a move on Bonnie.

"You looking for your lady friend then?" She asked with a wink.

"Yes! Have you seen her?"

Bonnie jerked a thumb up to an upper part of the inn, "Go outside. There's a flight of stairs. I think your girlfriend is up there with the big man who came in."

"The…big man?"

"Oh yes! Tall, big moustache and an even bigger sword? Laughs a lot too, I noticed. I think he said his name was Walter!" She gave him a smile and laughed softly, "Your friend Alice has recovered quite nicely! Da had to put stitches in but he gave her a healing potion that should help her heal quickly."

"Thank you, Bonnie. I won't forget you and your family's kindness." Adrian said with a smile. He heard someone shuffling around beneath the counter of the bar and the Elizabeth's head popped up.

"And don't forget us when you go back to Bowerstone, Your Highness," Elizabeth said, winking at Adrian. "Your friend with the sword told us."

"Er, do you mean Walter or Alice because I'm quite sure they've both got swords…"

Elizabeth chuckled and then pointed up to the loft again, "Go."

Adrian did what he was told and found Alice and Walter sitting upstairs, eyeballing a man who was slumped in a table right next to them, the corners of his mouth covered in sick.

Alice jumped up as soon as she saw him but winced and had to sit back down, "You're alright!"

"Of course he's alright! He's more than alright!" Walter boomed, making Adrian cover his ears, "He's a bloody hero!"

"I never said that I didn't think he was going to be alright." Alice chided, turning back to Adrian.

"How's your leg, Alice?" he asked. She scoffed and waved a dismissive hand.

"Never better! Just a little sore, that's all. The doctor was incredibly quick in his handiwork." Roman sat down next to Alice and put his head on her knee, his tail thumping loudly on the floor as if to say, 'He wasn't the only brave one in the scary cave.' Alice rubbed his head fondly as Adrian looked over at the man who was still passed out on the desk.

"I'm taking it you have the information that Sabine was after?" Adrian asked.

"Of course. I learned that they are led by a man called Saker. He used to be a soldier but always had more in common with bandits and cutthroats than the military. His men are holed up in a fortress in the mountains, so it won't be easy to get in. But I have a plan."

"Why do I have a feeling it has something to do with the incapacitated individual on the table?" Alice asked mildly.

Adrian glanced over at her, "You mean he hasn't told you?"

Shrugging, Alice merely glared at the knight, "He hasn't told me anything yet. I'm just in the dark as you are."

"Maybe if you two shut up for one second, I can tell you my plan," Walter muttered irritably, "This here is one of the mercenaries. A cold hearted man named Clarence but everyone just calls him Jimmy."

"Strikes fear into my heart," Alice muttered sarcastically into her pint.

Ignoring Alice, Walter continued talking, "He's been drinking in the pub since yesterday, making life unpleasant for everyone."

"Where the hell did you find this information while I was with you 90% of the time?" Alice questioned suspiciously. Walter raised a dismissive hand.

"You weren't with me 10 percent and that 10 was all that really mattered," he said with a little smirk, "Anyways, it wasn't hard to get him completely pickled. These young thugs…bloody lightweights if you ask me!"

"And what exactly does this have to do with getting into the mercenary camp?" Adrian asked slowly.

"Take his clothes and you'll get a free pass," Walter said, eyeballing the black jacket with strange spots on it, "Just try not to think about what those stains may be."

Alice helped Adrian strip the mercenary of his clothes, Alice nearly having a heart attack while laughing when she saw his man thong. Once they got him completely unclothed, Walter eyeballed the clothes skeptically.

"Hmmm…You'll never fool anyone without a little bit of extra effort. Even these idiots will notice that you don't have his beard or tattoos. I'm sure you can get hold of what you need around town though. Alice?"

"Yes Walter?"

"Would you mind paying for some of his items? I can pay you back when I have access to my gold when we get back to Bowerstone."

Alice nodded and then gave the knight a little smile, "You don't even have to worry about paying me back. Let's call this even for me yelling at you and you can buy my beer."

"Sounds reasonable enough. I'll meet you both back here as soon as you have everything you need. In the meantime, I'll see who I can talk to about getting food for the Dwellers. The people here may not have much but they are compassionate people. They just need a little convincing. Anyway, good luck with Saker and his men."

As soon as Walter left, Adrian ducked into an empty room and changed, marveling at well Jimmy's clothes fit him. True to Jasper's word, his Dweller clothes disappeared! When he walked back out, Alice was leaning against a chair, eyeing him up and down.

"Walter's right you know," She said simply, "You're too much of a goody two shoes to be pulling this off. I know! What about if you pretend to take me as a hostage! I'm sure that's what mercenaries do every so often with a girl, right? I mean, they've got to have desires and wants too."

Adrian blushed at the idea of Jimmy sleeping with Alice but quickly pushed the thought aside, "Well then, I guess we should probably try and find those tattoos and a beard."

"Where the hell are we going to find a beard?" Alice asked as the two walked down the stairs towards the tattoo parlor.

"We can talk to the stylist. Maybe he has a fake one that I can wear."

They found themselves walking up the street, people nearly jumping out of the way to avoid brushing shoulders with a mercenary. Finally, they made it into the tattoo shop and Alice picked out a set of temporary tattoos that matched the ones on the mercenary's body. The shopkeeper handed them over quickly and took the money before muttering something about a "mercenary whore".

"See? What did I tell you? They must have some sort of women that follow them around. I'm sure there are lady mercs too!" She pointed out, nearly having to drag Adrian out of the shop to keep him from lighting the place on fire after he heard the owner call Alice a whore.

They found the hair stylist's shop and walked in, Alice admiring the fancy hairstyles while Adrian asked about fake beards. The stylist, although obviously suspicious, showed them a fair selection. Alice helped him pick one out and paid for it. While the shop keeper didn't mutter anything about whores, she could feel his glaring eyes upon their backs as they left.

"They must have the same problems here with the mercenaries as they do in Mistpeak." Alice said, pulling the fake beard from her pocket, "Let's go sit over there by the well. You can use the water to put your tattoos on."

"Sounds good," He agreed, the two sitting down on the rocky wall, "I have another question for you."

Alice glanced up, pulling the tattoos out of her pocket. "Hmmm, we're going to need a cloth to press this against your skin." She ripped off a piece of her dress that was hanging off and held it up to the light, "This will work."

She dunked it into the water and placed the tattoo against Adrian's skin, "Alice…"

She shot him a dirty look and continued pressing into his skin, "What, Adrian?"

"I just…I had a question for you, that's all."

Alice sighed and loosened her grip on his arm, "Adrian…I don't know what you know about me. I don't know much about you besides the fact that you're going to lead a revolution to free this land, you're a hero and…and…"

"And what?" He asked, an eyebrow raised in question.

She sighed and looked up, "I know that you're probably one of the best men I've ever associated myself with. I have really, really bad judgment skills, apparently." She took the cloth away and inspected her handiwork, "There. It looks pretty damn real to me."

"What do you mean, bad judgment? Alice, what are you not telling me?"

Alice sighed and took Adrian's hand in her own, "Just…trust me on this. When I had a boyfriend, he cheated on me. When I had a sort of…lover…I'm still not quite sure what to call him…I confessed my feelings and he shut me down."

"May I ask who that was?" Adrian asked softly, taking his hand from hers and instead placing it on her cheek.

"I don't want to talk about it," Alice said quickly.

"Because if he turned you away, he must be an even bigger fool than my brother," Adrian murmured, "Because you, Alice, are a treasure."

"You're just saying that," She said quickly, a blush coming to her face, "Hold on. Let me put on your beard…"

She pulled the beard from her pocket and removed the side that had the glue on it, "Oh this is going to be hard to get off, I can already tell…Now, hold still, Adrian."

She lined it up to where she thought it would look the most natural and placed it against his face, letting her fingers hover for a moment. How different were Adrian's warm and soft cheekbones compared to Reaver's harsh, sharp ones. His face was kinder and more compassionate than even his brothers! If they didn't have the same brown eyes, she would have never guessed they were related.

"Alice," Adrian spoke softly, in a hushed tone of voice, "If I kissed you right now, how angry would you be?"

His lips were barely on hers before they were gone again, not even waiting for an answer. Alice was flabbergasted. Nobody had ever kissed her that softly in her life before. Adrian leaned back and she noticed that his beard was gone! He chuckled and cleared his throat, tugging the beard from Alice's chin before laughing again.

"I guess that beard wasn't stuck on there as well as we thought it was," he said, a little louder than she expected. She jumped slightly and then looked away for a moment.

"Do you need help putting it back on?" She asked quickly.

"That would be wonderful," He said with a little smile.

She quickly redid the beard and nodded at Adrian, "I think you're ready."

Adrian leaned forward and for a split second, Alice thought he was going to kiss her again but instead he just looked at her long and hard. "Are you sure you can handle yourself?" he asked. Alice nodded brightly and smiled.

"Of course! I can pull off the hostage any day!" She lay the back of her hand on her forehead dramatically, "Oh please help me! This mercenary has taken me away from my beloved on the day we were supposed to be brought together in holy matrimony!" She opened her eyes and gave Adrian a silly grin, "Convincing, eh?"

He grinned and rolled his eyes, "Maybe you should just stay quiet."

She laughed and stood up, brushing off her Dweller outfit, "Well then, we're not going to get anywhere sitting around here! Let's be off, shall we?"

* * *

><p><strong>So, romance is in the air BUT...will Adrian and Alice truly find happiness in the oncoming storm? Tune in next time for another exciting chapter of Better off Reaver!<strong>

**(Actually guys, this author's note is going to be sort of a long one. Recently, like...as in last night, I received a review from an anonymous person called "halloweenbaby". This person told me that I should kill myself and how apparently people like me make this person want to puke. Not only that, but they said I wish they could kill me themselves and that they would laugh when I died. Yeah...pretty nasty stuff.**

**Now, there's a lot of things I can tolerate online. A threat on my life and a wish of death are two that are not things that I will tolerate. Actually, I will call you out. Shame on you, halloweenbaby for not having the fucking balls to man the fuck up and send me a goddamned PM. What? You afraid that I'll retaliate? Bitch, I will call you out for fucking harassment because that's not even a flame. That's not something you should joke with. That's a threat against me and I will not take that lightly. You are so far out of line right now it's not even fucking funny. Also, for someone who has chronic depression and has tried to take her life on a few occasions, I would not wish that on my worst enemy. You, lady, are fucked up in the head to think it's cool to send me death threats.**

**Now, to the rest of you reading this. If you have something you want to say to me, SAY IT TO MY FUCKING FACE. I am so sick and tired of people saying shit to me behind their computer screen where they know they'll be safe. You hide behind an anonymous name and it pisses me off that you don't have the balls to say something to my face and instead have to send me nasty messages over reviews!**

**So come on, halloweenbaby, man the fuck up and grow some goddamed balls. Because I'd really like to see what happens when you stop putting knives in my back and start stabbing me in my front.)**

**Until next time,**

**Queenie**


	28. Mercenaries that Keep the World Turning

It was beginning to snow as they approached the mercenary's camp. Alice shivered in the cold, eyeing the great walls nervously.

"Are you ready?" Adrian asked her softly, "I still don't like the idea of this."

"Relax," Alice assured him, "I've got my gun. You've got your hero…stuff, we'll be fine!"

"Okay. Just please for the love of Avo, stay safe."

"Of course! I have to watch you lead your revolution, don't I?" She asked with a wink. He was nervous. What if something happened to her again and this time, he couldn't save her?! He had finally just gotten the nerve to at least kiss her and even that wasn't as grand and amazing as he pictured in his mind. Instead, he had pictured him swooping in and pressing his lips fully against hers in a knee weakening kiss...but truth be told the only other girl he had ever kissed was Elise.

"Alright. I'll just grab your arm and…" He wrapped his hand around the upper part of her arm and began to walk towards the mercenary camp. "I hope your acting is as good as you said it was…" He muttered.

"Don't worry, I'm a natural."

He hated to hurt her but to make it look more natural, he would have to drag her around a little bit. "Come on you!" He snarled in his nastiest voice. For a minute, Alice actually looked a little scared.

"Hey look! Jimmy's back!" One of the mercenaries called from atop a tower on one side of the gate, "Where have ya been, Jimmy? Killing some Dwellers again? Come on in."

The gate slowly opened, the guard never mentioning Alice as Adrian dragged her inside. They continued up a dirt road. Men were practicing killing things with guns, swords and even nasty daggers that made butterflies appear in Alice's stomach. She swallowed noisily and tried to maintain her damsel in distress part.

Two mercenaries on the side of the road caught her attention. One was talking about his father's family business in shoe cobbling and how he wished he could have gone into that business…which would now be impossible since he killed his father. The other murmured that that was a pity and then saw Adrian and Alice walking up the road. "Hey, Jimmy! Over here!"

Alice glanced at Adrian and saw that there was nothing in his dark brown eyes except malice and anger. How he could switch so quickly between benevolent prince and ruthless mercenary was beyond her level of expertise.

The one who had called Adrian over grinned lecherously and winked, "Hey, Jimmy, show Chad that thing ya do."

The other one, Chad scratched his head and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "What thing?"

Adrian smirked and without missing a beat, grabbed Chad's head and shoved it down by his ass before proceeding to let out the nastiest fart Alice had ever heard. If Walter had been standing with them, he would have been doubled over laughing. If it had been Jasper, he probably would have fainted.

The mercenary who had egged Adrian on put his hand on his knees and tears sprung to his eyes as he let out a loud laugh. The other one, Chad, stumbled around for a few moments before muttering about how he was going to be sick. He then proceeded to keel over and vomit all over his shoes, making the other one laugh even more.

"Good on ya, Jimmy!" He managed to say between peals of laughter, "Say, who's the girl?"

Adrian grabbed Alice's arm and smirked, "I found her wandering between Brightwall and the Dweller camp. I thought she was pretty so I decided to have a little fun with her when I got back, maybe pass her around a little bit."

"Ooh, I know Captain Saker has an eye for these pretty ones. Keep her close to you or she might be taken away." The merc smirked and then bade them farewell.

"I'm pretty?" Alice asked out of the corner of her mouth.

"Not in those clothes," He retorted with a chuckle. Alice would have punched him in the shoulder if she hadn't been playing the hostage.

They passed a group of mercenaries who were trying to make some wolves attack dummies. They snarled at Roman as they passed but the dog wasn't afraid. He merely snarled back, the wolves finally deciding that he wasn't much of a threat then. They hurried on until they came to a gate where a mercenary was hanging out at a table, drinking a beer.

"How's it going Jimmy?" He asked, eyeballing Alice, "You been drinking in Brightwall again? You reek of it. Don't let anyone tell you drinking alone is wrong. Best times of me life were had while drinking. And you're bringing back whores? Good on ya, mate. In you go then."

The gate opened up and the two walked passed many scenes of debauchery and violence. It made Alice sick when she saw a group of women chained up to a wooden stake in the ground, their clothes half gone and their tear streaked faces caked with dirt and soot. Worst of all, there were one or two men who were taking the poor girls then and there, not even having the decency to go anywhere private. Alice swallowed noisily, knowing that if she had been capture by a real mercenary, she would never go down without a fight.

Another gate separated them from the next part of the path. It sat next to a house and several men who were shooting the breeze. One of them looked over at Adrian and Alice and narrowed his eyes, "Jimmy? Is that you? You look…different! Were your eyes always that color?"

Alice could feel his palms start to sweat on her bare skin. They had found him out! The other mercenary joined in, "Nah, Jimmy's got beautiful periwinkle eyes like a summer morning. That's not him!"

"IT'S NOT JIMMY!" The first one yelled before brandishing his sword. Adrian let go of Alice and unsheathed his own blade, Alice pulling out her pistol. Narrowing her eyes, she shot an oncoming mercenary right between the eyes, the man going down almost instantly. Adrian was a fiend with his sword, blocking and swinging it like a true hero. Alice nearly had to stop and watch to catch all the moves that Adrian was pulling off. He was like a human tornado, his gun and fire ablaze while his sword met steel.

Alice took out her own sword, usually a line of last resort and charged three mercenaries at once. Her years as a pirate lord kicked in and she began to fight as well. One of them brought his blade down to slice her arm but she managed to dodge him and at the same time, kick out her leg and knock it into the guy on her left. He went down and she quickly decapitated him with a swing of her blade, blood going everywhere. The other two were easily taken down with some dual work with Justice and her blade, shooting one in the shoulder before breaking his nose, making him drop to his knees. She then kneed him in the face and he went careening backwards to land face-up in the dirt.

Finally, the last one actually dropped his weapon and went running for the cabin…only to be met by Adrian who elbowed him in the face…completely on accident as well. When they saw that they had taken out all the mercenaries, Alice turned to Adrian and gave him a mischievous smile.

"So, maybe you are a hero," She teased, "But you'll never be as good of a shot as me!"

However, as soon as he had said this, she turned around to see the gates opening and mercs with muskets and pistols beginning to shoot at them. Both pulled out their guns and rolled out of the way to escape the firing power of the guns.

"After you, since you're apparently such a good shot," Adrian said with a smirk. Alice grinned and as soon as they stopped to reload, she looked around the dirt hill they were hiding behind and fired.

Unfortunately, she wasn't as good of a shot as she thought she was. However, it also helped that there was a barrel of gunpowder behind them that she hit, making the mercenaries fly like pigeons in the presence of a cat. She looked back down at Adrian and grinned.

"Okay, I got them. One shot, if you don't mind." She didn't mention that she was secretly aiming for the one on the far left.

They continued up a hill, shooting the occasional mercenary who attempted to stop the dynamic duo from reaching Saker.

However, it was only when they heard the howls of timber wolves did Alice groan.

"I swear to Avo, if I get bitten again, I'm just going to lie down and die because apparently something doesn't want me alive." She muttered, downing another health potion to help with the lacerations she had received when another barrel of explosives had gone off right next to them, the shrapnel catching Alice in the face and arms.

"I wouldn't like that very much." Adrian said as the wolves came barreling down the hill.

"Well, I honestly don't know what to tell you about that," Alice smirked, shooting a timber wolf in the skull, "THAT'S FOR EARLIER, YOU LITTLE BASTARD!" She yelled triumphantly, Adrian catching another animal in the chest with a well-placed fireball, "You have got to teach me how to do that sometime!" Alice persisted.

"Maybe someday if we find out that you're a hero," Adrian teased, Alice rolling her eyes.

The two fought off another wave of mercenaries and wolves before running up to another even bigger wooden gate.

"This looks promising," Alice stated, pursing her lips, "Gentlemen first." She said, allowing the prince to walk through the gates first.

The first thing both noticed was the fact that there were far more mercenaries there than there had even been on the road, all apparently waiting for the two of them to show up.

"So glad they rolled out the welcome wagon," Alice muttered, looking up at all the mercenaries who swung their blades menacingly, like they were trying to sink their iron into the flesh of the two already.

"Leave them," A sharp, scratchy voice commanded and both looked up to see a man standing on the other side of the arena. He had a Mohawk and had a cigar hanging between his lips. One of his eyes had a film over it and he had scars all over his face and arms, "They're mine!" He took the cigar from his lips and tapped the end of it, making the ashes fall off, "You've left quite a trail of bodies. Neither of you are Sabine's Dwellers, that's for damn sure." He jumped into the pit and the ground quivered under their feet as he looked up at them, a sneer on his ugly face, "But you're going to die like them."

Adrian unsheathed his sword and Alice her gun as the two began to battle with the mercenary captain. It was only when he lit his hands with fire did Alice have any inkling of a doubt that Adrian wouldn't be able to pull this off. However, he managed to get a few hits in here and there, jumping back when the time came to avoid being cuffed by one of Saker's flaming hands.

Just as they thought the tides were turning, more mercenaries jumped down into the pit to try and attack Alice and Adrian as they fought with Saker.

"You have got to be kidding me…" Adrian groaned.

"I'll keep them off of you!" Alice said quickly, shooting one in the kneecap, "Just don't give up!"

The two fought on like demons until finally, with one last hit of his sword, the captain of the mercenaries fell. The other mercenaries stopped in their tracks, watching their captain struggle to keep his head from touching the ground.

"I yield," He said softly, keeping his head pointed to the ground, "You've won. This battle is yours, I admit my defeat. Kill me or let me live, my men will honor your choice. We may be nothing but mercenaries, but we honor our codes, just like any other soldier. We will leave the Dwellers alone no matter what. That's a warrior's promise."

Alice could see the prince's knuckles whiten as he gripped his sword, "You nearly killed us," He said coldly, "You nearly took our very lives! I don't see why we shouldn't kill you to pay retribution…to really make sure that the mercenaries never hurt the Dwellers again…" He raised his sword to end Saker's life but a piercing female voice rang out.

"Adrian! Don't!" Alice snapped, "He's going to honor his promise no matter what we do. Saker will leave the Dwellers alone. We know this now. You've defeated him fair and square."

Adrian narrowed his eyes and looked from Alice to Saker, "You have no right to tell me what to do, Alice!"

"Is that what a king does? Turns a deaf ear to his subject's wishes?" Alice snarled, "Because you're being a real ass right now, just like your brother!"

Adrian's eyes widened, realizing that this was indeed something Logan would do and lowered his blade. Instead, he slapped the cigar out of Saker's mouth and helped him up. Saker grabbed his cigar off the ground and took Adrian's hand with a little smile.

"Thank you. I won't forget this." Saker said, putting the cigar back in his mouth and giving it a puff, "Let the strangers go!"

Suddenly, in a burst of light, the world stopped moving…all except for Adrian who saw the guild seal in front of him, beaconing him towards the light. He entered the portal and once again found himself standing on the fog shrouded road in front of a gate. The same red hooded woman stood in front of him, her eyes still unseeing.

"You have taken yet another step on the road to rule," She said, "Sparing Saker has won you the allies of the mercenaries of Mistpeak. Word is already spreading of your compassion and your strength."

"I would have killed him," Adrian said, "But I was stopped."

Theresa shrugged, "It makes no difference to me whether or not you spare someone but Alice has a good head on her shoulders and will serve you well as long as you help her. Your affections for her are growing stronger, are they not?"

"Yes…" Adrian said hesitantly, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"She is compassionate. She cares for the people. Maybe someday, she will make a good queen."

"I wouldn't mind having her by my side," Adrian admitted with a little blush, "I've already seen what she can do."

"But she holds secrets. You cannot forget that," She reminded Adrian, "And she will never love you completely until she spills her inner most enigmas. For now, she rests on a path that is similar to yours. She has feelings for you but they are not as strong as yours."

Adrian nodded slowly, "Will she come around in time?"

"Perhaps. Until that time comes, you will have to wait and see." Theresa faded and Adrian walked through another gate, picking instead this time an upgrade for his gun, which vibrated and became more elaborate in his hands. He smiled down at it and put it back in its holster before exiting the Road to Rule and back into the reality at hand.

Alice was standing with Saker when they came to, the mercenary leader letting them go with his good grace but not before handing Adrian a flag with a little smirk.

"Well done, Your Majesty. You've earned this," He placed the trophy into the prince's hand and nodded, before turning back to his men, "All right you lot! Show's over! Clean this place up right away!"

"Yes, Captain Saker!" Came the unanimous cry of the mercenaries.

The two walked out of the arena and Alice turned to him, putting a quick kiss on his cheek, "You did really well. Almost like a true hero."

Adrian felt his cheeks bubble with warmth and gave her a sheepish grin, "It's only because I had someone who actually knew what she was doing in there."

She punched his shoulder lightly, "Come on. We should go tell Sabine that we fixed his problem…and see if Walter figured out anything with the food problem in Mistpeak."

* * *

><p>The two wandered into Brightwall, Jasper pointing them in the general direction of Walter who was hanging out at the tavern, "He's seemed to grow rather attached to the place," Jasper had said almost jokingly when they had contacted him to ask where Walter had last been seen.<p>

They found Walter sitting at a table with Samuel, laughing at some joke that had been passed, mugs of ale in hand.

"Ah! Here they are! We were just talking about Adrian!" Walter nodded to the prince and swallowed another large swig of beer.

"Indeed!" Samuel said with a smile, "We made a toast to your defeat of Saker and his men! They have been a sore to the valley for quite some time now, I must admit."

"Nobody will be more pleased than Sabine, I'm sure. His Dwellers might find some peace now."

"And they deserve it more than anyone," Alice agreed, looking over at Samuel, "Speaking of which, have you discussed if you can afford to send some relief up to the Dweller camp?"

"I was getting to that. I've been telling Samuel here about the terrible situation that they're in. He thinks that Brightwall will be able to help."

"Yes…well…perhaps," Samuel said, hesitating slightly, "I mean, of course we will be able to help! The thing is, as I was just explaining to Sir Walter, that Brightwall does not have an overabundance of resources itself. The king's levees are rather steep, as I'm sure you're aware, Your Majesty, and we face shortages more often than is comfortable."

"But…?" Walter urged him to continue.

"But if you were to…improve things around Brightwall, the people would be most grateful. And when people are grateful, they're also charitable." Samuel finished, rubbing his chin in thought, "I'm sure they would find it in their hearts to send aid to those poor people."

"There you have it," Walter said quickly, "The way I see it, you need all the followers you can get if you're going to lead a successful rebellion. What better time to start than the present?"

Jasper's voice filled Adrian's head, making the prince wince slightly, "I wholly agree with Sir Walter, if you don't mind me overhearing and I know just the method to amassing followers."

Adrian learned of the quests that he would have to do to gather followers and found out about a theater troupe who was looking for a lost play. Alice winced when he told her about the theater group.

"I have a beef to pick with those gents and ladies," Alice admitted, her body language telling Adrian that she didn't want to talk about what had happened with the troupe, "Go on without me. I'll see if I can spread the good word around Brightwall, see what I can get the people to spare."

Adrian nodded and set off, Alice setting off to do her own work for the revolution.

* * *

><p>Adrian returned an hour later, feathers clinging to his clothes and his musk distinctly leather. "You smell good," Alice said, laughing softly, "I talked to several vendors who said they'd be willing to donate to the Dwellers and they said that when you returned, that you would have their full support." Alice stood up from the table where they were sitting and looked towards the door, "I think that Samuel wants to speak to you outside…"<p>

Alice took him by the hand and led him outside…only to be amassed by a group of people, several of which were holding crates of food! Samuel stood in front of them, motioning for Adrian to join him in front of the crowd. Alice stood by Walter and beamed at Adrian.

"Esteemed citizens of Brightwall!" Samuel announced, "Today, we demonstrate the generous nature of our fair town! For too long have our mountain neighbors suffered in silence, and now we lend a helping hand."

"About time," Alice muttered out of the corner of her mouth. Walter slapped her upside the head softly, making her chuckle, "You hit like a girl!"

"Shut up and just listen," Walter said with a grin, shaking his head at her antics.

"But this effort would have not been made possible were it not for the courage and determination of one man; the son of the old Hero Queen! From this day forth, you will be known as The Hero of Brightwall!"

Adrian grinned when he heard the title, looking back at Walter and Alice who were applauding along with the rest of the crowd, smiles on their faces.

"Before you leave," Samuel continued, "We ask but one favor. As we pledge ourselves to you, so we hope that you will pledge to return Brightwall to its former glory and reopen the academy which your mother built."

He stepped forward and shook Samuel's hand, "I promise."

"Very, very good! I expected nothing less of you!" Samuel said, letting go of Adrian's hand, "These volunteers will bring the supplies up to the Dweller camp. They go with our blessing. I know you will return someday, not just as our Hero, but as our king!"

The crowd cheered again, Alice and Walter's voices ringing out the loudest. This was the beginning of a revolution.

* * *

><p><strong>So, I apologize for my rant last time. Pretty sure that it was just a troll who thought they were being funny. I'm over it now, feeling better. Lots of shit going down at work though...kind of sick of my job. This is my number one story I've been working on lately and I want to get through it because I'm really getting into it again! <strong>

**Thanks for the people who reviewed the last chapter and thank you for your support. Helps to know that some people aren't total dickheads. -_- **  
><strong>I also apologize for shitty fight scenes. I can't write action very well. One of my may downfalls, I suppose. <strong>

**Anyway, I'm off to bed. Read and review!**

**Queenie **

**Fable (c) Lionhead**  
><strong>Alice (c) The Queen of Asgard <strong>


	29. Lost in Darkness

_"Captain! We're approaching Bowerstone!"_

_I opened my eyes and looked out over the peaceful Bower River that entwined itself with the city like two long lost lovers. This was the first time I had ever been to the capital city of Albion. The bustling streets were jam packed with last minute shoppers before the evening took hold of the city._

_"Rig to moor," I called from the bow. There was a scuffle belowdeck as The Thorn of Aurora prepared to dock for the last time. There were so few of members of my crew now. Most had chosen to return to their homes in Aurora or Samarkand but some had stayed wtih me until the end of our journey. I sighed and turned back to the city. I could see the market square from where I was standing, children tugging on their mother's hands to pull them to the low stone wall that seperated the docks from the square to watch our ship pass. Finally, the ship began to slow next to a large dock and my crew managed to get their figure eights on giant capstans that were attached to the dock. I stepped down off my perch as the gangplank was brought to allow us to leave the ship. A man in a tight red jacket raced over to us, book in hand, poised and ready to take down any information we might be able to give him._

_"Welcome to Bowerstone Market Miss...?" He waited for me to give my name._

_"Er, Alice. Alice...O'Conners." I said finally, trying to find an easy sounding name to go with my new pseudonym._

_"And did you know that there's a 100 gold fee for tying up any vessels at the Bowerstone docks?" He asked in an authorative voice like he knew more than me._

_I inwardly rolled my eyes and handed him a small satchel of gold, "You don't know anyone who would be willing to buy a ship...maybe a merchant?" I asked, trying to get the ship off my hands. He looked up from writing down my name and nodded over to a small trading caravan on the other side of the dock._

_"Speak to Murgo. Maybe he'll be able to help you. Good day, Miss O'Conners." The man tipped his hat and then walked down the other side of the dock to speak with several guards who were eyeballing our ship with suspicion. I walked back up the gangplank and then looked over at the remaining faces, about 40 people._

_"Gentlemen," I began, "It has been an honor sailing with you but I now relieve you of your duties. Go on, you are now free men. If ever any of you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know and I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are taken care of."_

_They left after that my little speech. Some by ones or twos but most left in small groups, some nodding at me, some giving me hugs and even a few kisses on the forehead. I couldn't hold back my tears. They fell silently as my men left my ship to begin their new lives with small fortunes in their pockets. I had saved no money for myself since I knew I would be selling the Thorn for quite a bit of gold. Perhaps it would be enough to begin a new life but if not, there were people I could work for. Perhaps I could live my life as a barmaid...Although I would hate to go back to Bloodstone and Wraithmarsh on foot._

_Shrugging, I shoved my hands deep into my pockets and strolled past the guards, only to be stopped by one taller guard, his meaty paw on my shoulder. "'Scuse me Miss." He grunted, "Who is the owner of that fine vessel there?"_

_"That would be me, Sir." I said, trying to keep my voice even, "That was my ship. I am...well, was a merchant captain like my father before me but now, I want to settle down and stay on land. Can't drown on land, can you?" I asked with a sad smile._

_"I guess not...Do you mind if we conduct a round of your vessel?" He asked, nodding to his fellow guards. I shrugged._

_"By all means, go ahead." I said softly, "I'm just looking to sell it so I can get some money back. All I want to do is begin a new life. Everyone needs a fresh start, don't they?" I asked before turning on my heel and walking towards the Murgo fellow. At first, I was nervous to even approach the man. His caravan was certainly an entire event! Flashing lights, booming drums...this man really liked to live life to the fullest, apparently. He was funny looking too. He wore a tall top hat and had a moustache that stretched out well beyond the laws of gravity. When he saw me, his wild eyes lit up and he pushed past a few browsing customers to come bounding over to me._

_"Well hello there, young lady! Or should I say, hello there Your Majesty!" He bowed deeply, and took off his hat, making me blush._

_"Uh...I'm not quite sure what you mean..." I began, brushing a lock of hair nervously behind my ear._

_"Lady of the Water and someday, Lady of the Land!" Murgo chuckled and then nodded over The Thorn of Aurora, "And I do believe you're looking for someone to buy your vessel?"_

_I snapped out of my thoughts and looked back up at him, "Huh? Oh yeah! I'm looking to sell it for about 300,000 pieces of gold. She's a good ship...fast, strong, she's been with me through the thick and thin. The man in the red coat told me to come over and talk to you."_

_"Of course, of course!" He twirled his moustache between his thumb and forefinger, "300,000 gold you say?"_

_"That's right."_

_"Well my dear girl, I am actually looking for a ship and yours seems to be the one I'm looking for. 300,000 gold sounds like a fair prince indeed. Come into my caravan and we can get you the money then, eh Rosie Sharpp?"_

_I stiffened at the mention of the name, "She's dead," I manged to say without losing my cool, "She's long gone."_

_Murgo chuckled and tapped the side of his nose with his index finger like he knew something, "That's what you think. But the Seer tells me differently."_

_"I wish to play no more of your games, you funny little man!" I spat angrily, "Either you want the ship or you don't!"_

_He laughed again and led me back to his small caravan where we sat down and discussed the paperwork. Somehow, in the process of it all, he managed to add in an extra 50,000 pieces of gold, much to my surprise. When he handed me over the gold and I the contract to my ship, he shooed me out of the caravan and into the street before turning off flying gizmos and beating drums. Most of the people had wandered off to find greener pastures so there wasn't much for him to pack up. The caravan shut as if by magic and the man bowed once again before locking the caravan up tightly._

_"Don't you need a crew or something?" I asked quickly as he bounded across the dock, smiling all the while._

_"I have no need, Rosie Sharpp," He said brightly before mounting The Thorn of Aurora and dropping the brow to the wooden dock. With a snap of his fingers, the sails unfurled and the ropes slid from their places on the cleats! I gasped, watching him move about the deck like a real captain. It was strange to see my ship leave port with only one laughing man, beaming down at an unseen crew but I had a feeling The Thorn would be in good hands. Smiling and shaking my head, I waved her off, tears filling my eyes as my girl left me to sail the oceans once again._

_The guards were gone by the time I turned around. The fat man in the red coat was sitting behind a desk, snoring away in a little port office. I smiled and felt the weight of my gun and cutlass at my back, realizing that not all my piracy was gone. No, there were plenty of fat noblemen in Albion that would be far easier to swindle away from their money than a heavily loaded ship! Plus, I could do it in small incraments, nobody would ever know that their gold was missing..._

_What was I thinking?! I quelled the shadows back and gritted my teeth. How could I think like that?! I was a new girl with a fresh start and I had the world at my fingertips. No way would I begin this life the same way I had started the previous one! I smiled in spite of myself as I found myself in the square, looking up at the old clock that chimed nine in the evening. I had gone from an unlucky woman in Maine to a pirate queen in the next one. And now, I was standing on the threshold of yet another fresh beginning, still looking like I was 24. Although I had only worked with Reaver for a few months, it had seemed like a lifetime ago...which, in a way, I guess it was. _

_I walked into the small establishment at the end of the road, a jaunty looking place called The Cow and Corset and walked in. I noticed that it was for sale and would pay a hefty tax every month. Perhaps that's what I would do. Invest in real estate. I sat down at the bar, noticing a few illicit grins in my general direction before the bartender turned to me and gave me a smirk. _

_"What'll it be, love?" He asked in a deep, drawling voice. _

_I leaned forward and arched an eyebrow, "How much does this fine establishment of yours cost to purchase?" _

_"Too expensive for your blood, I'm afraid. It's 100,000 pieces of go..." _

_He didn't even finish the word 'gold'. I counted out the appropriate amount and then pushed it over to the bartender. "Are you the owner of this fine establishment?" I asked cooly. The man stuttered out a yes, his face pale. I smirked and then jumped off the stool, "I am now the owner of this fine establishment, gentlemen," I said, announcing to the inn, "And the name will be changed." _

_"W-whatever you want Miss...?" _

_"O'Conners. You may call me O'Conners." The name was sounding better already, "The name of this pub will be The Thorn and Crown."_

* * *

><p>"Alice?" Adrian shook the brunette, waking her up from her nap, "You were talking in your sleep."<p>

"Oh," She said softly, stretching, "I guess I was. Sorry, I was dreaming."

"About?"

"Nothing that concerns you, Your Majesty." She gave him a smile and then turned to Walter, "How much longer until the monorail gets here?"

"Not too much longer, I'm sure," Walter promised her. The three sat in an underground station, awaiting the monorail that was supposedly going to take them to Bowerstone Industrial. Alice disliked the fact that they were going back to somewhere that all their heads were wanted on spikes but she, like the prince, knew it was the only way to spark the flames for rebellion. She sighed and closed her eyes again, wishing she could fall back to sleep, thinking about their homecoming in Mistpeak. Sabine had been pleased to say the least.

The old man had laughed, a twinkle in his eye and a promise to fight by Adrian's side...if he released the mountains and allowed the Dwellers to reside there freely. Adrian had quickly promised, making Sir Walter beam and Alice to clap excitedly like a little girl. They were really doing it! They were gathering an army! If they could do this, then who was to say they couldn't storm the castle with 10,000 men and take down Logan like the dog that he was?!

She opened her eyes again to the whistle, lonely and cold in the echoing cavern that loomed so far overhead. Standing up, she watched as the monorail chugged into view, the darkness releasing its grip on the metal box that made her wince. Walter had already expressed his dislike of the box and for once in her long, long life, Alice could silently agree with the old knight who wrinkled his nose at the aspect of climbing aboard such a monstrosity. The height alone terrified her. Being trapped inside and falling nearly made her turn around and walk all the way back to Bowerstone.

"Most of these people will be going straight to Bowerstone," Walter explained, still glaring at the monorail like it was its fault that they had to travel in that manner, "but we have to make a little detour first."

"You're making me nervous with all your little detours and errands, Sir Walter," Alice said with a nervous chuckle, "is there any other way through these caves?"

"I'm afraid not." Walter responded gravely, "I wish there was but this is the fastest way to our locatipn."

Suddenly, with a hiss and a cry of a passenger, the monorail stopped on the tracks, the squeal of hot metal making all three in the party wince, "something's not right..." Walter deduced, his eyes now more concerned than suspicious.

An explosion rocked the cavern and caused passengers on the platform to scream out in terror, "It's going to fall!" Adrian cried out, the monorail hanging precariously on one rail after the last explosion. With another great and fiery crack, the monorail went tumbling down into the abyss of the cave, landing with a sickening CRASH. A fireball erupted from the car, engulfing it in an instant.

"We have to help those people!" Alice snapped, already running down the steps, pushing past people who cried and stood there in shock, their faces white and blank. She ran over to a locked gilded door and tried to pry it open with no avail.

"Out of the way, Alice." Walter said, stepping up and sliding his sword between the door and frame. The door buckled under the sheer strength of the old knight and the three raced down another flight of steps towards an old rickety looking elevator. Alice had no qualms with something that was designed to go down and was the first in, followed by Adrian and then Walter, who was muttering "I can do this," as he stepped in between the other two. The elevator clanged and groaned under their combined weight but it held fast.

They reached the bottom of the cave and found themselves in an old abandoned tunnel, held up by wooden beams, "the monorail fell somewhere over that way," Walter pointed down the sloping pathway.

"Then we should waste no more time standing around here!" Adrian exclaimed, already jogging down the path. Alice and Walter followed suit but Walter stopped dead in his tracks when he heard the wicked laughter, echoing in the darkness. Alice turned around and watched the knight expectantly.

"Come on, we don't have time to stand around and wait!" Alice snapped, already walking again.

"I know those sounds, " Walter murmured, "somehow, I don't think the monorail falling was an accident."

Alice frowned at these words but continued to follow Adrian until they rounded a corner...

The monorail had become wedged between the wall of the cave and a large rock. Flames shot from its belly and burned bright and hot. There would be no surviors. What really surprised Alice was the group of creatures banging on the windows and sticking their heads into burning compantments. If she hadn't been so horrified, she may have even laughed at the one who ran around, his body on fire.

"Hobbes!" Walter bellowed, pulling out his sword, "kill the little bastards!"

This caught the attention of said creatures. They looked up, their mouths gaping angrily at the travellers as if they were the reason that the Hibbes meal was ruined. With a throaty cry from a larger one dressed in a soldiers uniform, they began to attack. Alice dispatched several of them with her gun and shook one off that had gotten attached to her leg, trying to bite her.

"Get off me you little shit!" She roared, shooting it in the face. It died with a groan and Alice turned her attention back to the others, which Adrian had already incapacitated with magic. When they were left with a smattering of dead Hobbes, Alice turned to Adrian and laughed bitterly.

"When we get out of this mess, you're going to teach me how to use that spell!"

Adrian merely grinned sheepishly and shrugged, extinguishing his hands.

"Come on you two! Where there's one Hobbe, there's a thousand more. We need to get out of this cave; Avo only knows what else is in here."

Alice glanced up at the shadowy passengers and shivered slightly. Who knew that this simple task could turn into such a deadly exposition? Surely she had already been through enough adventure in her lifetime for a thousand deadly treks through a cave. Shaking her head, she chided herself for thinking like that and looking back at Walter and Adrian's retreating forms, she turned on her heel and raced after them into the inky blackness.

* * *

><p><strong>So...I apologize for not updating this for so long. I feel bad. I really, really have been trying but unfortunately, I wrote about 4,000 words and it didn't save it and so I didn't feel like coming back and rewriting it all. BUT, in the end, I came back which I am so happy I did! I hope you guys didn't think this story was on hiatus because it's not! Yay! Thanks for the lovely reviews and follows! You guys are the best! Remember to review if you liked it or review if you didn't! I hope to hear from you soon! <strong>

**Biting off more than she can chew, **

**Queenie**


	30. A Hollow Surprise

"Ah, sweet, fresh air!" Alice crooned when they finally found themselves outside the cave, blinking in the shrouded sunlight. She took a deep breath and then stopped for a moment, her face contorting into that of disgust, "Never mind. Just...air."

Adrian was the second out of the cave and he took blanched at the smell of rot and decay, "What is that awful stench?!" He questioned looking around to try and find the answer to his enigma.

"It's Mourningwood, alright" Walter answered for him, "The smell of decay fresh in the air...I just hope that the people I'm looking for are still alive."

"Why wouldn't they be, Sir Walter?" Alice asked, frowning slightly as they began to pick their way through the bog down a path half submerged by stagnant water. Trees on either side blocked out what little sunlight penetrated the clouds, allowing green sludge to grow between footfalls and rocks.

"Because come nightfall, this becomes one of the most dangerous places in Albion," Walter said forlornly, making Alice and Adrian glance at each other in worry. Sure, the place smelled but there was no possible way that the sludge would come alive at night, right? "But I've only been told stories. Speaking of dangerous, I think I'm starting to get a rash. Bloody swamp."

"That's not on a need to know basis, Sir Walter," Alice said, trying to disguise her laugh with a cough.

They traveled along in silence for awhile until they crossed a bridge that overlooked a large fortress of some sort, "Walter, what is that?" Adrian asked, pointing towards the structure off in the distance. Walter frowned, his bushy facial hair bouncing as he did so.

"I think that's where we need to go," Walter said.

"And I think we've got company!" Alice cried, pulling out her gun. She was right, Hobbes were beginning to appear at the foot of the bridge, their soldier uniforms all matted and dirty, "I thought we left these things behind in the caves!"

"So did I, Miss Alice," Walter pulled out his own sword and the three descended as the Hobbes ran towards them. The fighting was brutal. As soon as Alice had dispatched one Hobbe, another would take its place, trying to gnash at her with thick, yellowed teeth.

"Impossible," She seethed through gritted teeth, thumbing the hammer back to place the barrel between the eyes of one particularly malicious looking beast. The shot hurt her ears but the thing fell backwards as she kicked away another one who had a blunderbuss that was pointed right at her. The prince and Walter seemed to have their own Hobbes under control, the prince using a combination of fire and metal to keep the little beasties off of him.

Finally, the last one fell dead and the three were left with blood on their clothes and sweat on their brows. Alice felt hot, sweaty and smelly in her Dweller clothes but they were far more practical than her long dress that would have gotten snagged on every single bramble they passed. She pushed back a curl that was falling from under her cap and glanced over at Adrian who was sheathing his own sword. Even in his own Dweller garb, he looked almost regal, his own brown curls falling perfectly across his forehead and his dark eyes shining with pride.

"I think they're all dead." Walter said, prodding one with his toe. The creature didn't move so they continued on their way across the bridge, "We made a good team. I haven't been in fights like these since...Well, your mother, Adrian. It was just light fighting by her side."

"I'm not as good as my mother," He mumbled, his ears turning red, "She was a hero queen. I'm just..."

"Perfect," Alice finished, "You're doing what has to be done and that's that."

"Exactly. She had her destiny, you have yours." Walter confirmed, sheathing his own blade, "But I had forgotten what it was like, standing next to a Hero."

"Both of you are making my ears turn red," He said with a little chuckle, "Now, let's get to that fort before anything else attacks us."

"Agreed," Walter said as they began to walk down the path again, "However, I think we're almost there." Red flag had begun to appear on either side of them, ragged and moldy from the constant dampness of the swamp, "What I wouldn't do for a nice bowl of soup and a warm bath."

"That may have to wait," Alice said, slowing her footsteps. The fort was dilapidated and old, giving off an abandoned vibe to the place. She frowned and looked up at the giant, albeit molding, wooden door, "Hello?"

"Stop right there," A voice above her made her jump and she looked up to see a man standing on a platform, peering over the stone walls, "Be you men or Hollow men?"

"Um, neither," Alice said, "I'm a woman. Just a woman."

"Have you gone daft, boy?!" Walter asked irratably, coming up behind Alice, "Just open the damned gates."

The soldier dropped his weapon and his eyes widened, "By Skorm's beard...is that you, Sir Walter?"

"The very same," Walter announced, "And I've brought company. Now, are you going to let us in or what?"

The soldier jumped into attention and then nodded, "Yes, of course. One moment..." He called down to his comrades that had obviously been hiding in the woodwork, "Open the gate, tell Major Swift that Sir Walter is here with guests!"

The doors slowly opened, giving way to a large courtyard where men patrolled in the red uniforms of the Albion Army. A man with a mustache to rival Walter's stood with his hands clasped behind his back, beaming at the trio as they approached with a pipe clenched between his teeth. Next to him stood an extremely handsome man with blond hair and chops. Both men had blunderbusses strapped to their backs. Walter approached the man with the salt and pepper hair and they shook hands enthusiastically.

"There he is! The one and only Major Swift!" Walter announced, grinning ear to ear.

"What in the blazes are you doing here, Walter?!" Swift demanded, taking his pipe between his teeth.

"We came looking for you, of course!" Said Walter in a manner that made it seem like he expected Swift to know that as well, "I have a proposition."

The blond soldier smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, "You came all this way to proposition us? And I thought you were here to save us from the legions of the damned."

Walter turned his eyes to the man and gave him a warm smile, "Ben Finn, it's good to see you." His face turned a little more grim, "So I'm guessing the legends about this place are true."

"The algae in the ponds must come to life then," Alice muttered sarcastically, flicking a piece of brain from her shoulder. Ben glanced over at her and eyed at her with suspicion.

"Who are your friends, Sir Walter?" Ben asked, still sizing up Alice.

"Lady Alice O'Connell, at your service," She said with a little curtsy, "Merely here to be of assistance."

"You could assist me in bed, love." Ben said with a wink. Alice felt her temper flare and Adrian stepped in front of her protectively. She brushed him off but kept glaring at Ben. Before any more words could be said between the two, Swift cleared his throat.

"Hollow Men, Miss O'Connell. More Hollow Men than I've ever seen in my entire life. We've been stationed here for weeks, trying to eradicate them."

"You mean the piles of bones with the...eyes?" With that, she pointed to her eye sockets and Swift nodded in conformation. Alice shivered when she heard this and shivered. She dealt with Hollow Men every time she went to Wraithmarsh. Adrian shot her an odd look, "Um, they're Wisps that take over the bones of a deceased person. At least, that's what I call them."

Swift stuck his pipe back between his teeth and nodded, "Mainly, it's been us getting eradicated." He nodded to a group of shallow graves on the east side of the fort, "We lost some good men last night, including Lieutenant Simmons here. And I'll bet my medals that they'll be back again tonight."

"Then we'll help you fight them." Adrian announced. Walter laid a hand on his shoulder but the comment had already gotten Swift's attention.

"Logan likes to send you on the best assignments, doesn't he? Actually, that's what I wanted to come here to talk to you about." Walter said, giving Adrian's shoulder a squeeze.

Swift looked long and hard at Adrian before his bushy eyebrows shot up into his salt and pepper hair, "Is this...?"

"Prince Adrian, at your command, Major." Adrian said with a little bow.

"Goodness, to be in the company of royalty," Ben muttered sarcastically.

"Yes, well just treat the two of them like any other pair of hands for now," Walter mused as he and Swift walked away to go talk about business. Hopefully, Walter could convince Swift to be on their side.

"One of you can meet me on the wall when you're ready. We could always use an extra body up there and maybe we'll run into Private Jammy." Ben chuckled and Alice furrowed her brow.

"Private...Jammy?" She questioned, "That can't be his real name, can it?"

"Nah, he's just called that because he's the luckiest sod of the bunch!" He laughed and then started walking towards the wall. Adrian turned towards Alice and then looked back towards Ben.

"I'll work the mortar. You can stay here and get some food, maybe clean your gun," He offered. Alice nodded in thanks. The two went their separate ways and Alice plopped down on a bench to clean out her pistol, snapping it into the small pieces she could work with. Several other soldiers were sitting around, talking quietly, not bothering to look at Alice.

"Do any of you have a cloth and some oil I can use?" She asked. Most pretended that they didn't hear her but one of the younger soldiers slowly handed her a cloth that had been sitting on the bench next to her, "Thanks."

"What's your name, Miss?" The soldier asked quickly. She looked up in surprise and blinked.

"Um, Alice. Alice O'Connell."

"Aren't you the lady who owns The Thorne and Crown in Bowerstone?"

"Yes, that's me," She said with a nod. The man merely looked at her for a moment before looking back at his sword which lay across his lap. Finally, he looked back up and gave her a small smile.

"If I get outta here, would you let me have a drink on the house?"

Alice gawked in surprise before she finally answered, "Yes, of course."

"Hey, no fair! I want a free drink as well."

"Me too!"

"If they're getting free drinks..."

"Okay, okay! You can all have free drinks when you get back to Bowerstone!" Alice snapped irritably.

A cheer erupted from around the group of men and Alice finished cleaning her gun and then snapped the pieces back together. How they had figured out who she was in that amount of time was beyond her but...

Suddenly, a cry rang out and all the men jumped up, leaving Alice alone at the fire, "Hollow Men! The Hollow Men are attacking!"

The booming of the mortar made Alice cover her ears but she jumped up too, looking for something to do. She found Walter and Swift poised and ready to take action and she ran over to them, "What should we be doing?!" She cried trying to avoid anyone who was running around.

"And now, we wait." Swift said grimly. The sky above her head was rapidly darkening and a pit of worry had settled into her stomach. She didn't want to die. Not now. The boom of the mortar gave her some home but not enough to keep her from curling her fingers around her gun. The others had already started firing from the top level and cries could be heard whenever they were struck by the Hollow Men's own weapons, "Stay here, Alice. We need you down here if they break through. Your pistol won't do much from that far away."

She nodded sharply, feeling completely useless when she heard something banging against the door, "They're at the gate!" Swift roared, "Get someone there!"

Two guards quickly flanked the doors but it was too much. They blasted open and hoards of Hollow Men with glowing eyes and wicked blades came stumbling in, groaning and shuffling over the dirt ground. "Shit!" Alice hissed, already leveling her weapon and pulling the trigger. One's head exploded in a flurry of bone and decaying flesh but another was there, slowly coming at her. She dove out of the way as one swung its cleaver at her, nearly taking off her ear. She kicked it back and Adrian shoved his sword through its body, causing it to roar in annoyance. With a dry tearing sound, like paper, he yanked up, the blade dispatching the creature quite nicely. The two took a moment to nod at one another before going back into battle.

The bodies of those who had asked her for free drinks fell around her, making her stomach writhe and contort. She shot another Hollow Man, catching him in the shoulder but he kept coming at her. Suddenly, he was there, knocking her over and pinning her to the ground. It roared and readied to end her life but at that moment, it was engulfed in a flurry of fire. Alice quickly jumped up and saw Adrian with his gauntlet ready for action.

"I owe you one," She said quickly before ducking as another blade was swung at her. She stood back up and pressed the gun into the Hollow Man's head, blowing it to smithereens.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side," Adrian said, throwing another fireball.

"I don't think that's possible," She responded, just as the ground rumbled beneath their feet, "Not again..."

They continued to fight until Alice felt as if she could not keep her arms up anymore. There was only so much dodging and rolling that a girl could do until she fell to her knees exhausted. However, the sky had begun to lighten in the east so she tried to keep her heart light. How could they possibly keep this going?! Finally, Alice pushed through the last one, using a blade she had picked up from a fallen soldier and she fell over, exhausted. However, they seemed to have to stopped coming. She breathed a sigh of relief, her nose filled with the smell of dirt and blood.

"We did it! Victory! All hail the prince!" Swift cried in triumph as he thrust his sword to the lightening sky, "Now, who's up for a pint?"

Alice closed her eyes and sighed, feeling her body relax. However, to her surprise, she watched as one last Wisp darted over her head and made a beeline towards the row of graves, settling into one in particular. Instantly, she was back on her aching feet, ready to fight again. The ground around the graves burst and Alice watched in horror as the biggest man she had ever seen crawl from his grave and stare at them with glazed over eyes that shone with an unearthly sort of light.

"Lieutenant Simmons! I specifically ordered for you to stay buried!" Swift roared in anger as the corpse drew twin blades and opened his mouth. Instantly, other Wisps entered the ground, causing it to erupt with deadened hands.

"You fight the smaller ones, I'll get Simmons," Adrian instructed. Alice nodded and joined Swift and Walter in the destruction of the smaller Hollow Men. Her arms were tired but she continued to fight until she felt no more bullets in her pocket!

"I'm out of bullets!" She cried miserably.

"Then fight with a sword!" Ben snapped, trying in vain to push back three Hollow Men. She groaned and pulled out her sword, bringing it just in time to meet it with an undead creature. It hissed at her and she hissed back, trying to ignore the fatigue in her muscles. She glanced over at Adrian to see how he was doing and knew that he himself couldn't fight for much longer. They were all tired, Adrian most of all. He had been through so much and now...now this was expected of him.

Suddenly, Simmons knocked his feet out underneath him and Adrian couldn't get his hand up in time. Simmons was going to kill him.

"NO!" Alice screamed, breaking away from the fight. She ran at Simmons, her blade in hand and jumped up, landing on his back. Simmons realized that she was there too late. Alice plunged the blade through his back, making the Hollow Man scream in pain. She grabbed the blade and dragged it downward, his flesh ripped away. Adrian managed to scramble back up to his feet and shoved his blunderbuss under his chin, pulling the trigger. The two were splattered in rancid brain matter and maggot eaten flesh before they realized what had happened. Suddenly, Alice found herself wrapped in a tight hug and she fell into it, trying to keep her heart from beating out of her chest.

"You saved me. Thank you." He whispered. She leaned out of the hug and gave him a small smile.

"Well, it was payback from earlier." She murmured as they looked at one another for a few moments before someone cleared their throat, causing them to look away.

"Well done you two! You certainly had me worried there." Walter said, throwing his arms around the two of them, "And look, the sun's coming up."

Alice looked up at the sky, relieved to see that indeed the sun had begun to rise over the trees, "Thank Avo." She breathed softly, looking up at the man she was beginning to respect more and more.

Ben looked over at Adrian and gave him a smirk, "That was pretty damned impressive! Your mother wasn't the last hero of Albion after all then, eh?"

"We did it!" Swift announced, his grin contagious, "No, really, we did!"

"Let the poets tell of our epic tale and soldiers raise their glasses to our names! The Swift Brigade fought against impossible odds. They won. The end." Ben said with laugh, "And Sir Walter! You didn't do too bad for an old man."

"Neither did you...for a buffoon." Walter said with a smirk. Alice clapped her hands over her mouth to keep herself from bursting out laughing but managed to keep it down to a cough.

"Ah, that was just like old times, Walter. Just like old times." Swift said, walking towards the now ruined doors that overlooked the graveyard.

"So, what do you say? Will you join us? With your help, we can take down Logan and help return the Albion army to what it stands for."

Swift stopped and turned towards Walter, "I swore to serve my king. We all did," He reminded Walter, "But this...this isn't right. The old guard is being shoved aside to allow these new soldiers that Logan has been gathering to protect the people of Albion...They don't care about this land or her people."

"But we do," Alice pointed out, "Adrian cares for the kingdom."

"And I believe it. After seeing your actions I know you're different," Swift said, addressing the prince, "All I ask is that you take a soldier's oath."

"Of course," Adrian said with a nod.

"Let your armies protect the people instead of oppressing them. Bring honor back into this uniform."

"And a pay raise wouldn't hurt," Ben muttered under his breath.

"Shut up, Ben." Walter said with a little chuckle. Finally, Adrian stepped forward and stuck out his hand.

"I promise to help you bring back what has been stolen from you," Adrian swore as Swift's smile widened.

"I'll hold you to that, boy," He responded, taking the outstretched hand. The two shook on it and world grew black and white again. The people around him stopped moving and the familiar shape of the guild seal appeared before him. Adrian reached out to touch it and his vision grew white yet again. He was one step closer to fulfilling his destiny.

* * *

><p><strong>Whew. Hi all! Queenie here once again! Sorry I've been so busy with other fanfics, life, job, Thanksgiving...Hope everyone had a great day, by the way. I'm thankful for Hans Zimmer, Tom Hiddleston's cheekbones and fanfictions. Now, I should admit, there are point where I am going to skip just because I feel like they're literally just filler. This one just so happens to be one of my favorite scenes in the game and fighting parts soooo...I've been looking forward to writing it. Of course, next chapter guess who comes baaaack?! <strong>

**DUN DUN DUUUUN! **

**Going into a turkey coma, **  
><strong>Queenie<strong>

**Fable (c) Lionhead Studio**  
><strong>AliceRosie (c) The Queen of Asgard**


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